Mass Effect: X-Com Theory: Project Shanxi
by timedraven117
Summary: It has been over a century since the Ethereal Invasion and the Equis First Contact War. Humanity has learned to accept their former foes, and their former victims. But the threat has always remained, "The greater foe" promised by the UberEthereal. Now it is the year 2157, near the Shaanxi system the Relay War shall begin with a galactic order that has stood for over 2,000 years.
1. Timeline

**Preface: Since a lot of people don'** **t exactly know what they will be reading until they get to it i'll make it clear: This is a mega crossover between X-Com, Mass Effect, and My Little Pony Friendship is magic, normally this would go on Fimfiction, but i doubt this has enough pony in it to allow it to get by. Also i really suggest you give this a try.**

 **Mass Effect: The X-com Theory**

 **Human Development Time Line. From end of Ethereal War to present date January 1st 2157.**

 **Writer; lead chronicler Vahlen'Duyun'Shanxi "Remembrance"**

 **2015 December 30th** : The official end of the Ethereal war. The destruction of the Temple ship six months prior, and then the capture of the Cydonia base on Mars was revealed to have been a success a month earlier, the remaining alien forces having capitulated to the newly revealed X-Com, with the bulk of Ethereal forces surrendering and becoming Humanity's prisoners of war.

The immense technological leap humanity has taken is offset by the losses. Over 100,000,000 dead, over 90% civilian casualties, makes the war the deadliest in Human history to present date.

The treaty signed on the new year had made a new holiday, known simply by the name it had previously, "New Years". It is noted by cultural scientists that it was fitting both metaphorically and literally, for it was truly a new year for humanity and its prisoners, one of uncertainty and promise.

 **2016** : After Commander Bradley's historic speech and the establishment of camps on Earth for Refugees of both sides, rebuilding began, along with a new scientific revolution. While tensions between both sides remained high, both agreed rebuilding was paramount.

 **2020** : After the final repairs are made to Earth's industrial centers, with the help of all species, it had been decided that Humanity was ready to be one great nation. The UN was disbanded and instead The Council of Terra was erected in its place, a seat for every nation and one for every "client" species. This marked the beginning of the golden age of Man, and by extension their clients, for the next twenty years significant progress was made to colonize the solar system and learn about the basic principles of the technology now at their hands. The Terran Alliance was ready to leave home.

 **2032** : While normally a historical oddity, it is proper to note that the cultural exchange between Ethereal forces and Humanity were one sided. Humanity's massive and aggressive cultural tendencies overwhelmed Ethereal culture, which was noted to be non existent and forgotten. Only the tribal martial relations of the Mutons, and the Ethereals' previously limited, and ironically primitive, culture were what remained, and were swiftly destroyed or integrated with the Human's own. This effectively ended notions of being separate as the Aliens were no longer considered such, they were culturally assimilated, now considered as much Human as actual Humans. With the last species riot in the tragic events of January 1st 2031 in Berlin.

 **August 21st 2039** : A major breakthrough in the learning of the principles and use of Plasma technology is made. The first economic way of producing Elerium is created, by use of Fusion technologies. It was determined that utilizing a newly found element on Mars called "Element Zero" with a lower grade energy fuel invented by the Ethereals called Zrbite, created refined Elerium as the end result. The process is currently a closely guarded secret of the TSA and SolMine industries.

 **2040** : It is publicly announced the finding of another Alien Installation on Mars. While Human explorers were using new technology to find Element Zero they find what they think to be a cache of the material near the southern pole. With Human and Ethereal scientists, and a platoon of X-Com combat personnel, the "Prothean Database" is discovered. While the area is noted to be over 50,000 years old, it sparks a panic among the species of Earth and the last words of the "Over One" Ethereal are remembered, that another, greater, foe shall soon face them.

As per X-Com doctrine, and in still record holding speed, the base is stripped of any useful materials, the database moved physically to the planets X-Com facility in the great canyon of Mars, where it is to this day being examined and stripped of information. The basics were revealed immediately:

The builders were called Protheans, they were an insectoid mammalian hybrid like race who had developed along a different technological tree based on mass effecting fields using Element Zero, and used great gates called Mass Relays to travel almost instantly across the galaxy. Plans for building mass relays or even the history of them were nonexistent, leading to it being assumed that the relays were not created by the Protheans.

They were soon picked up by the media and entertainment industries as bogeymen. This allowed the Council to enact what it had wanted to for some time, making military service an extension of public education with the motto, "Every Human a soldier" and sparking a significant military buildup for fighting these "Protheans".

 **June 25th 2045** : The first Human capital ship, named after the first Human psionic, " _Annette Durand_ " is designed and launched. Surrounded by a fleet of retrofitted battleships, the "Test Ship" was sent towards the relay said to be orbiting Pluto. The following events are well documented so shall be attached to a different [File] for convenience.

 **September 28th 2045** : Basic Relay map is constructed. All Garden worlds are marked for immediate colonization and priority sites are indicated for X-Com Bases on each planet. This is sent with the Ethereal Battleship Redemption to be delivered through physical means as per security protocol. One further anomaly is noted. The existence of alien life in their sector of space. This is kept secret from the public when it is realized one of the planets hold many intelligent species that have equivalent technology to early Cold War era Earth, but the most developed nation is capable of advanced psionics and has a key unreplicable ingredient of MELD in their blood.

 **January 1st 2046** : It is decided to launch a secret operation into the new species to find a way to save Humanity from its own creations of MELD enhanced soldiers. It was public knowledge at the time that MELD reserves were almost gone, and only for war veterans who had outdated Gene mods and were dependent on the substance, forcing most of them to be stuck in stasis until it could be made economically. Please view the abbreviated Codex Entry for the conflict, at the bottom of this page.

 **October 15th 2046** : The end of the Equestrian First Contact War results in the uplifting of the Equis (Pronounced Eck-is) species'. The new influx of resources, manpower, experienced scientists and engineers, and cultural exchange was even greater than before with the Ethereal races. With the documentaries of the planet's history and other important events and persons; the most popular proves to be the Equestrian Friendship is Magic: Chronicles of the Elements. This ten season long documentary follows six young adult Equestrian females in their quest to learn about the "Magic" of friendship and protect their nation against many threats, and proved to be highly popular among Humans and the other species.

 **December 31st 2061** : The first of the largest Human capital ships, the Unconquerable class starship named the _Unconquerable_ is "officially" finished. The warship is made to be the Flagship of the Terran Alliance First Fleet, five kilometers in length, it is heavily armed and equipped with the best and brightest in the Alliance. The drawbacks of Elerium, Fusion, and Element Zero are negated and balanced by the combination of all three. After over 40 years of planning and construction, this monumental test of Alliance engineering is christened on New Years Day.

The ship is still currently serving to this day.

 **June 7th 2076** : The first Alliance initiated long distance Wormhole is established. With a team of 20 Human Psionics, 10 "Unicorns", and one Elder Ethereal, the wormhole is deemed safe and hundreds more are created without incident from thousands of individuals. This has effectively made Mass Relays inferior to current transportation methods, and all secondary relays and half a dozen major gates are slated for dismantling, study, and since their metals are more resistant than Vahlenite, to be researched for capital ship manufacture.

 **2115** : The one hundred year memorial for the Ethereal War is observed, a memorial in honor of all those who fell is erected on every Terran Alliance World, plated in Vahlenite, and inscribed on each pillar of the building, is the name of every Alliance member who has died in the line of duty, and the civilians who died in the original conflict and Equestrian First Contact are inscribed in the interior of the building. Placed before the Alliance building of every colony it acts as both memorial and defensive hard point, in case of another hostile contact.

 **May 19th 2119** : Dr. Shen, renowned scientist, head engineer of X-Com, and beloved friend of all of Equis, dies at the age of 156. The longest lived unaugmented Human. Flags of all nations are at half mast, and leaders of all nations attend his funeral. He died peacefully in his bed, surrounded by friends and loved ones.

 **2120** : The Terran Alliance now controls over 10,000 warships of all classes above light scout, and Earth and her allies hold over 100 garden worlds. At this point it is decided to slow expansion and allow the galactic economy to recover from the heavy militarization of the Human economy. The economic "30 year plan" is introduced by the people of Equestria, to allow for the Alliance colony worlds to fill out and grow, with further expansion suggested after the 30 year period but unconfirmed. Alliance moves to agree.

 **2124** : The first fully sentient AI is created. After steady research and suitable defensive measures are taken, the first stable, and fully sentient Human AI is created. The AI is based off the brain of a Human, taking latent memories and sense of self and person, with designs from Cyberdisc technicians. The AI has the intelligence of a child at first and is named Hope. The internet immediately exploded saying to bow down to their new overlord, while hundreds of memes using the name as a joke were made. When informed of this years later Hope was quoted to say, "Robot invasion? You know how impractical that would be? Besides its boring without you guys."

By the same time next year the AI is as intelligent as Dr. Vahlen who referred to him as, "My progeny." Hope has had several hundred fail-safes integrated into his operating system, and is considered as mentally stable as any other Man. Testing began to create more for military and civic purposes.

 **November 2nd 2125** : Dr. Vahlen dies of natural causes at 160 years old. She is given full X-Com honors, and the same service as Dr. Shen. As per her will, her brain is used to create a sister AI to Hope and to be used for scientific endeavors.

 **2130** : As preplanned all colonies are made into individual funding nations and given a seat on the Council. Earth and Equis are reorganized to have only one representative for each species that now calls her home. This reformation was planned in case of outer colony rebellion, removing the possible chance of future dissent by having fair representation.

July 4th 2133: Retired Commander David Bradford dies of natural causes. All surviving great war veterans attend his burial, and all rogue faction elements are removed from stasis to attend as well. The day becomes one of grieving for all of X-Com, as their Flagship, _United,_ and six other Unconquerable class ships fire their Fusion lances above Earth 21 times in salute of the great man. He died at the age of 168. The next Capital ship is named posthumously after him, and his name is added to the X-Com board of fallen heroes. The Princesses of Equestria personally attend his funeral as well, a sign of good will for their former enemy.

 **2141** : Finally the basics of all Ethereal technology is uncovered. At the date of the end of the war the Ethereals spoke the names of all the scientists of the various species who partook in the discovery of a lifetime. Thousands of names were spoken and commemorated. With this done, Humanity may now finally move forward in their chosen technological path.

 **2145** : The Sectoids and Thin Men, after tens of thousands of years of genetic manipulation, have finally made a discernible breakthrough in returning their species to their original forms. Long having relied on the other Species for basic survival by cloning, the combination of Human DNA, and DNA from worlds found in Human space, they are on the path of self reliance genetically.

This news was met with the cheer of billions of Sectoids and the newly renamed Sabilians, who were once known simply as Thin Men.

 **2150** : After the 30 year plan, exploration was slated to continue, the fleets of ships used before having renewed purpose and are sent out once more to activate relays. After further study of the Prothean data archives, the mention of a great "Citadel" is found. Efforts are planned to focus on locating this Citadel carefully, using stealth craft to follow the path of relays. Planning is made immediately and the air was called palpable, with the danger and excitement of meeting another intelligent race in the galaxy. Thousands of protests for isolation were organized.

In preparation, mandatory enlistment times were increased to ten years, and experienced reserves were requested to join back up, and specialized ship production went underway at the Sol, Mars, Arcturus, and Equi shipyards. Increased patrol and security patterns were set in, simulation battles become increasingly frequent and more realistic, and planetary defenses were enhanced and upgraded with new "Kill-sats".

The Stasis veterans, either from the rogue faction and volunteers from the original X-Com were moved to the outer colonies and "Dreams" added to the stasis programming, to bring them up to speed on current events and equipment.

 **2156** : Preparations finally completed, the exploration fleets are sent out to uncover the cosmos, the science committee's flagship, _Enterprise_ leads the endeavour.

 **Universal Galactic Codex Edition 50**

Human Culture and Technology: Humanity, after the Ethereal war as it is now known, has been greatly affected by the war. After the rebuilding of 2020, military enlistment or similar activities almost became a rite of passage, to be able to defend yourself and one's family in case of another incident with the latest and greatest technology was greatly desired. Of course at this time Earth's militaries could not support the number of recruits despite popular demand. Eventually the proposal in 2040 reverted to a similar early Roman style system of service, instead of it being a civic service it was made to be a mandatory arrangement to start from childhood to adulthood with no payment being given beyond necessities. This was very favorable, for it also gave practical training and experience, replacing the step of going to college like what was done in the 20th and early 21st century.

Another thing of note is that after the destruction of the temple ship the debris gave off radiation that is now known to induce psionic powers in Humans. Since the debris exploded across the entire planet, it means psionic powers are universal among Humans found to be at 100% of the population, even manifesting in some primates on Earth.

Other surprising side effects are MELD based Gene mods being dominant genes, making it so children would inherit their parent's Mods. Ethical, political, and other issues are not mentioned in this Entry. For more information click [Here].

Gene Mods also received great scrutiny, side effects include similar symptoms of heavy metal poisoning and insanity, similar to surviving reports of the Roman Emperor Caligula or Nero, and with horrifying similar stories of cruelty and sadism. Due to Humanity's primitive employment of the substance, without a small steady supply of MELD it would result in the MEC and Gene Trooper to suffer from this, forcing X-Com to keep a majority of combat personnel in stasis until this could be rectified. It was after the agreement with the peoples of the Planet known as Equis where they helped supply the resource and find a way to stabilize its side effects. For more information click [Here].

Technologically, Humanity has finally mastered the principles of Plasma, Fusion, and Element Zero. And have heavily enhanced Laser capabilities.

As per standard security protocol all military grade weaponry and hardware, and some civilian gear, are to have fail safes fitted to them for complete destruction and "booby trap" modules included in case hostile alien forces attempt to make use of the weaponry.

Plasma technology is a strictly military and government resource. Used in everything from power generation to advanced weaponry, it is a supremely effective infantry weapon and relatively cheap to create with current infrastructure, with the only strategic drawbacks being the balance of Element Zero to other projects. The tactical drawbacks of Plasma are its combat effectiveness in space, ranges of tens of thousands of kilometers being considered medium range, the slow movement of the weapon's projectile make it a poor long range weapon. The counterweight is that it uses heat to primarily damage targets, Prothean shields are virtually useless against it and the only way to withstand it is for thick armor plating or Vahlenite armor, making it an effective point defense and destructive short to medium range weapon combined with lasers.

Fusion technology is predominantly used for power generation and weaponry. It is a very powerful energy source, completely clean, and with several additional gene mods, safe for Humans and allied species to be around for prolonged periods of time. The tech is very powerful, and is used for the Ethereal Fusion Lance. Currently the most devastating weapon known to man, able to melt through any defense, including Vahlenite as if it were a thin metal sheet. The basic principle of the Fusion lance is to fire a plasma "warhead". Because it is a warhead made of plasma, it has very little mass, making it extremely effective against Prothean shielding tech, going straight through shields. It is very good at "Sniping" Targets. It is in essence a scaled up Plasma sniper used for ground troops, magnetically creating and guiding the electrical energy rod, or "warhead", to half the speed of light. This makes it good for long range engagements at the hundreds of thousands of Kilometers and even the millions of kilometers, where the near instantaneous nature, despite its long recharge times, make it vastly superior than any Element Zero tech.

Finally Element Zero technology is mainly used for the creation of Elerium, however it has a variety of excellent civic developments. Its ability to affect mass making it useful for citizen transportation, small arms, and railguns being its chief military contribution. Mass effect fields are a cheaper and cleaner solution for regular transportation, MECs, and SHIVS as well. It is predominantly a civilian field of technology, alongside lasers. Currently corporations like MarSec, and police forces like InterPol make use of the two technologies side by side. The mass accelerator cannons are small, cheap, and reliable. With the payload of up to a Nuclear warhead, down to the precision and strength convenient for orbital bombardment and artillery. Rate of Fire and damage per shot are well above acceptable for their monetary worth of ammunition. They have encountered problems with heavily armed and shielded test ships, but their added ability for exotic ammunition like incendiary, molten core, and electrical discharging shells make up for it, forming a well rounded weapon for both government and civilian use. However many people prefer older combustion based firearms due to the superior damage they cause compared to the grain sized projectile used by Element Zero weaponry, which barely move faster than a high velocity combustion weapon.

Psionics and MELD are the final major technological advance worth mentioning. Psionics, present in every Human, Ethereal, Sectoid, and Equestrian currently. It has become a whole branch of science on its own. Having a wide array of applications; from stable wormhole creation to mind control, the mind is literally the limit. Humans are born with a single type of Psionics beyond Universal. The four main groups are Communications, Indirect Manipulation, Direct Manipulation, and Portal Creation. But other secondary more rare groupings like Pyrokinesis, Hemokinesis, Enchantment, and more are known. Psi amps are required to make full use of latent talent however. Most are of comparable power to the original X-Com Psion Corp without an amp.

While in school and the military, Psions are psychologically conditioned to only use their powers in approved environments, and life or death situations, to help combat abuses of their power to other species. This is strongly supported and it is severe taboo to abuse one's powers outside of the approved environment.

MELD has seen widespread use in the entirety of TSA space. With it, Humanity has cured itself and its allies of many ailments like cancer, AIDS, feather flu, and other resistant diseases. Military grade mods have also become universal in all Humans, Mutons, Sectoids, Sabilians, and a large portion of military families of the Equis species; redundant organs, marrow mods, mimetic skin, bio-electricity, toxin creation, and more. The Sudham-Wolcott Genetic Heritage Act was emplaced to prevent genetic abominations, and to retain each species unique genetic diversity. It has also allowed for the formation of joint companies like the Sirta-Glimmer Heart Foundation creating amazing medical advancements like longer life spans, Medi-gel, and "Red Mist" healing poultices and hand held medi-kits.

MELD has also allowed the formation of the Cyborg Enhancement and Betterment League for persons who have given up their physical attachments for better combat effectiveness and unfortunate accidents. MECs are standard heavy combat troops that have been used since the Ethereal War. Sectoids, Mutons, Humans, and Equis species have all been found able to combine flesh and metal to make a better fighting force. These brave individuals are considered heroes wherever they go, having gone above and beyond the call of duty.

 **The Equestrian First contact war**

The war was sadly waged in a similar, if less bloody way, then the Ethereal war. At first sending down probes to abduct the Equestrians carefully, with mental manipulation placed upon them to ensure they would not remember the experience. Unfortunately it was found to be impossible to replicate the plasma for MELD by Human means. It was at this point crisis was reached in X-Com as a rogue faction of mad soldiers decided to mount a more aggressive attack, systematically slaughtering thousands of the poor pony like Equestrians. In post war memoirs written by the soldiers and senior heads of X-Com, it was deemed that it would result in fewer deaths if they were able to control the rogue faction rather than letting them running wild with abducted scientists, trying to create an imperfect solution, or simply slaughter for the joy.

Thankfully the death toll did not reach into the millions as before. Fortunately, due to the combined effort of the Senior staff and extremely strained negotiations with the leaders of the planet, the quadruped pony like species, now known as Equestrians in Human languages, held the solution to the problem. Thanks to what they called "Magic" but is now known as a whole different tree of Psionic manipulation, they synthesized the plasma needed.

Humanity greatly shamed by their previous actions, offered the Equestrian Principality full status as Alliance citizens, and to be the first world fully integrated with Humanity. With new technology and the chance for great exploration and to meet new peoples, the Equestrians agreed, if very reluctantly.

Equestrians never had a war for over 700 years prior to their First contact, and had therefore been caught unprepared. But their adaptability and ingenuity, much like Humanity's, saw them defend with admirable resistance. And while the lost lives will forever be a black mark on Human-Equestrian relations, both species have managed to retain, at worse, strained relations.

Along with the surprising Pony like Equestrians, many other intelligent life forms were found, much to the surprise and bafflement of Human scientists, creatures eerily similar to horses, dragons, cows, zebras, griffins, and many other Earth equivalents were found. With Genetic testing it was discovered that somehow they are genetic cousins of their counterparts, resulting in furious debate even to today. Ethereal or Prothean Manipulation is the top theory.

The rogue faction, upon being cured of withdrawal, were allowed to form a penal battalion, and to go into deep stasis as punishment, to only be awaken when they are needed for war. Regrettably some senior X-Com staff, and many of the personnel who were involved in the butchery of the Equestrians, committed suicide after the conflict.

* * *

Author Notes.

Welp, this is a pain. After 6 months writing and planning, on and off beta reader friends, and on the day I decide to put up my first chapter, my power flickers on and on. But I finally did it! The start of the culmination of all my work. Chapters will be released on Fridays or on days when no one else decides to release a chapter, because its depressing to have 50 in progress stories and none of them update.

I hope you enjoy

Blood Raven


	2. Chapter 1: A Day in Lu'an

**Chapter One**

 **A Day in Lu'an**

Text rolled across the screen, a blurb of electrical noise marking the beginning of the audio file, its voice was a neutral Human male voice, accented only slightly in a North American accent mixed with a melodic tune of Mandarin.

"The Unconquerable class Capital Heavy Battleship is five kilometers long. Its armament is one spinal Ethereal Fusion Lance, ten Fusion lance turrets along structural hardpoints,"

The picture of the bulbous, massive ship materialized as if from light speed. Jan's grandfather always said it reminded him of a Mon Calamari Cruiser from Star Wars.

Jan never cared for science fantasy.

"... Sporting twin linked MACs along the lateral line of the ship. Included are the one hundred plus plasma cannons, per side, for point defense and broadside strafing against targets, and several hundred laser cannons and Blaster Launcher anti-ship munitions-"

Jan cut off the device, "Yeah, yeah and it has a crew of over a five thousand, three thousand Orion class combat drones, with a hundred Firestorm Mark five fighters," Rolling his eyes he went on in a droll tone to match the VI, "Along with ten drop pods, ten boarding torpedoes, and a dozen heavy gunship/dropship Galaxies. And all crewed by one hundred X-Com operatives."

". . . Correct. Well done Student Jan." The dull VI replied dryly, not even sounding as if it meant the statement. Before it could continue he lowered the Tablet to look outside his window.

From the looks of it, it was nearing 6:30. Which meant, to his eagerly grumbling stomach, breakfast. He saw his reflection in the glass, mirroring his sandy blond hair, brown eyes and white skin, giving it an opaque color. He just screamed stereotypical American farmboy.

Rising from his personal desk, knick knacks and papers scattered across its plain plastic surface, he did his morning stretches.

It was when the aroma of food could no longer be ignored that Jan darted out of his room to the kitchen. Mother was making eggs again, father at the table assembling an old rifle. The modular parts being cleaned and greased by expert caring hands.

Mother always joked he put more love into his guns then he did in making it. "Did you sleep well Jan?" His parents asked in almost perfect unison. Shrugging he could only muster up the effort to reply half heartedly. It was going to be a beautiful Saturday and he would have to cram study for monthly military finals.

The father only grunted at his response, mother doing so by setting the plates and silverware and giving a helping of eggs and toast to each of them. She was about to sit down when a knock came at the door.

Moving to answer the door, wiping her hands on her apron she smiled, "Oh Dinky! Good morning, here with the daily mail?" Jan knew who that was, Dinky Hooves was the local Package delivery mare, he was friends with her son Kindred "Heart" Hooves.

"Yup! Thanks for still buying the physical stuff, keeps me with a job you know!" The higher pitched voice of an Equestrian filtered into the home as the two females discussed like woman usually do. What Jan wasn't expecting was for Kindred to suddenly appear behind the half asleep boy.

The trap set, Kindred started, "Heya Jan!" If Jan was a ballistic missile they would have considered his launch a success.

Groaning Jan was on his back, Kindred's face over his own, "Oww, ow, ow, I think I hit my knee on the table." He groaned out pitifully as he slowly got up.

"That should teach you better situational awareness son." His father pointed out, what he probably considered sagely. Kindred put his hooves on the table smelling the food and looking at the adult in the room.

"Can I have some Mr. Bulrick?" He had that special smile that only a drill instructor could resist, and as such Jack Bulrick resisted,

"You have to ask Melissa if you can. And doesn't your mother feed you mister?" Jan resumed eating, enjoying his Chrysalid eggs.

"She does. But she says I eat like a full grown stallion!" Giving a flat, toothy grin he dashed off to ask the matriarch of the family, who was busy conversing with their neighbor.

The patriarch turned on the vid screen and flipped through the channels, "...Memorials for the first invasion are-"

"... Military personnel retention rates are at an all time low as-"

"... The Equis-Human exploration fleet is almost ready to leave Shanxi to-"

* * *

"... In other news! Muton Stand up Comic Gorell Vee was declared Last Comic Standin-"

"... _X-com: Terror from the Deep!_ will return-"

"... Princess Twilight Sparkle of Equestria is leading the exploration beyond relay 314. The prodigious Princess has expressed hope security measures will prove unnecessary with the eventual contact with other species, but maintains that caution is of utmost importance-"

Twilight sighed as she trotted towards the spaceport, past the mostly Chinese Humans and bespeckled Equestrians from the eastern cities. Her omnitool cycling through radio channels, finally settling on a classical music station. 'Is that Yuri's twenty fifth? Or Hiruma's Grand Orchestral?' Twilight mused silently.

Human's knew their entertainment to be sure, they had everything with dozens of genres for music and films. They made something even Twilight never thought of desiring, _Audio books_.

"Princess Twilight." The two Equestrian Royal guards, clad in ceremonial armor, bowed before her, and spoke in unison as she led her small group into the ship that would take them to orbit. Lu'an had been a pleasant enough city. Clean, busy. It reminded her of home at Canterlot. And the outer suburbs and farming communities were reminiscent of PonyVille.

The bay for their transport was a mess of equipment, luggage, and people. Everywhere technicians of every species were working on the everyday maintenance of the hundreds of ships that came through the system every month, not to mention the hundreds of transports that filled the city and served as ferries for transporting goods to and from orbit. That was going to be a fact of life until the orbital space elevator was finished.

"Good morning Princess Sparkle. How was your meeting?" Mack, the planet's AI, popped up on the holo-pedestal before the ship, only a foot high.

Twilight quite enjoyed the AI. His avatar was dressed as a cowboy. His leather chaps, plaid shirt, dusty hair, and rawhide hat giving a very rustic, farmy feel. And reminding her horribly of her friends. Applejack Specifically.

"As well as could be expected for this media storm. I swear you're pushing them to make a general panic in the people." Glaring at the AI for a moment she soon dropped it with a light hearted chuckle.

"Please you know Human's, jumpy little creatures who are fearful of the unknown." Sticking his tongue out childishly, Twilight rolled her eyes.

"I swear you're just like Luna. What's that Human term? A Troll?" She had studied Human culture intensively for decades. And while she found just about all of them had the same feelings towards her people; apologetic, polite, and friendly. She always suspected their politicians.

While she would never share the suspicion she felt like the Council was slipping, already their military retention rates were extremely poor. Not so much as one X-Ray spotted in over a century, and they were desperately clawing for reasons as to why they should continue funding the military so highly. It was voting season next year and the various political parties, especially the house controlling X-Com Initiative Party, were scrambling.

"Oh shucks you caught me. Playing my ol' country tricks on you city folk." Teasing her, Mack had done his research on Twilight. Much to Twilight's continued embarrassment. But she enjoyed the friendly banter with the AI, who was as the situation called for, polite, attentive, kind, and reasonable. Much like the Council when she thought about it.

"Well enough fooling around Mack. Bring me up to speed. When's the _Enterprise_ going to be ready? Also remind me please, who are the senior staff I should know about?" Twilight requested politely as she looked into the sky to see several dozen transports lift off into space.

"In less than an hour your Highness. Your escort, two Defender class frigates, _Jotun_ and _Sefu_ are in orbit waiting with the stealth ship _Highest Honor._ Your requested support ships will meet us at our destination." Mack said as he "walked" alongside Twilight's party, using the holographic emitters in the bay. He was only as tall as her, to be respectful.

"Your senior crew on the Enterprise; X-Com Operative Col. Matthew Perry, Navigator and Sensors Jeremy Pressly, Pilot Aganovich Taylor, Weapons Officer Jack Siffly, and Medical chief Phrixus Cephalus. I'm sure you're familiar with the AI Dr. Vahlen." Mack was pantomiming taking a breath while Twilight was already matching the faces to the names. "The Captain of the _Jotun_ is Elizabeth Kilger, and the _Sefu_ is Kirabo Zecor. Finally the Stealth ship is commanded by Terah, a Sabillian."

Twilight remembered his face, genetically altered to have some defining features, now looking more snake than lizard. A good choice for a stealth ship, his ancestors having been excellent infiltrators and that gene was hardcoded into his species brain.

Nodding Twilight boarded her ship, "Excellent Mack, thank you for your service. I'll return my support ships in a few weeks for resupply." Mack nodded as the door close and his voice came over her omnitool.

"Of course Princess. I'll begin preparations immediately." And then the soothing melodies of a Griffin composer began on her tool, as they exited to space and neared the Enterprise. Twilight hoped to Celestia that nothing would happen to the fleet.

* * *

Jan was outside in the mid-morning light of his little farming hamlet. His parents had said that it was okay if he didn't study for now, as long as he returned home for dinner and didn't get into too much trouble.

He heard Kindred clopping next to him. Looking at his friend, a Unicorn, navy coat with a sky blue mane and amethyst eyes smiled back. His cutie mark was a trio of plush red plus signs, with some kind of cannon shooting them. He was told by Kindred that he found his special talent, and that it was being a combat doctor.

He still remembered the day when he got it a few years ago. The doctor on site said it was some kind of Psionic milestone. After that happened he was pulled out of the Equestrian class and stuck into the Military academics courses. Jan was special in his own way, he was one of the few American kids in the colony.

"So whats the plan? Head to the psi gym?" Jan started.

"Come on we do that every day at school. How about we go to the Grav arena? See a game of Gravball?" The Pony suggested as they neared the transit hub.

The transit hub was adorned with the flag of Shanxi, a star in the middle of green, with olive branches framing the center star. Around the building were several cheap posters. One was advertising _X-Com! Terror from the Deep!_

The next was a poster encouraging everyone to do their best, showing three scenes, one of farmers of all species working in an apple orchard, the next engineers and scientists working at their stations, watching as they test fired a laser into some metal, the last a team of several species working together past a broken brick wall, the Human covering the Sectoid as what looked like incoming fire pattered off the corner. All of this stylized in popular anime-esque style known for the Asian colonies.

The last poster before the door was the ubiquitous, Vigilo Confido poster, an X-Com operative in psi armor pointing to the viewer and saying, "Are you always vigilant? Are you reliable?"

The hub was a small node in an enormous network, the local station for their small farming town.

Outside the station was a Sectoid vendor, who everyone knew as Mr. 5531 Elysium. He was selling apples, and from the looks of it, Equestrian apples. Jan's mother had given him twenty credits as allowance today, and twenty more for lunch for himself and Kindred.

Elysium, spotting the two children, waved and a psi link activated between the two. Inside of Jan's head, he heard the other's voice as a whisper.

"Good Morning you two. Care for an apple? Straight from the Apples' farm." Jan smiled. His own family helped in the small hamlets communal crops. Growing the potatoes mostly, but also taking care of the animals when need be.

Kindred looked at Jan with a pleading look that made Jan roll his eyes in amusement. Like a cute anime cat, sparkling effect included. "Sure, two to go please." Jan replied, as his friend pumped his foreleg in success.

Elysium nodded and sent the psi pulse representing satisfaction as he pulled two of the pearly red orbs the size of deflated footballs, underwhelmingly called "apples" out of the stand and put them in a plastic bag. Jan handed over the two credits like what was advertised on the sign and got the bag.

Entering the station, it was empty except for one other occupant, "Hello Ms. Vahlen!" Kindred greeted as he waved one foreleg in the air at the Ethereal.

The creature turned its silver masked face towards the two children and gave a psi pulse for a smile, "Hello young ones, are you going into the city as well?"

The two just nodded as the Ethereal lowered something on to the ground from behind its robes. Scurrying up to the two was a chrysalid. Jan bent down and put his hands on his knees, "Come on Aviyah!" The four legged chibi jumped up in front of the two and rolled around on its back, clicking in joy and excitement.

Kindred just laughed as he gave the stunted 'lid a belly rub, while the two showered the thing in praise. "Yes I was just going to take Aviyah to the veterinarian. He's been unable to eat anything. I fear his venom glands have enlarged, a common problem among Chrysalids I'm afraid." Floating over to the two she bent down and scooped up her pet in frail arms, hiding the weak appendages behind her all encompassing crimson robe.

"So why are you two going to Lu'an?" She asked as she looked at the from the stylized mask of an Ethereal writer. She was tall, almost three times as tall as Kindred who was just barely a bit shorter than Jan.

"Well we don't know. We have the day off of chores and we wanted to have some fun. You're only a kid once right?" Jan rubbed the back of his head, smiling as Kindred checked the tram schedule.

"If only I could remember my childhood. But alas, it is lost to the aether of time. So how is school? Keeping your scores up?" The conversation lasted for a minute until Kindred called out that the tram was coming.

After a quarter hour high speed tram ride, they glided into Zakuza station in the southwest portion of the city, which is in the academic district where the Colony's primary schools and universities were located.

"If you run into any trouble you two then find me at this address. But please stay safe young ones, I know how rambunctious you can be." Giving a psi pulse for a smile, Vahlen'Duyun'Shanxi floated off to her destination.

"So I think we should go to the Little Tokyo Arcade. We can get food and play the arcade for awhile." Kindred Heart suggested, walking out into the busy street. All around it was bustling with people of all species. Above on a terrace for an apartment building, a pair of Mutons were talking, basking in the sun. Above the street traffic, air cars and trucks flew, crewed by various persons. In bulky orange robes, leading a group of assorted monks was Father Grigori, the well known religious leader, and war hero from the Ethereal war, his MEC implants giving him an extended life.

"Come on Jan, lets go find Lenibus and the others." Jan replied, "If we're going to the Arcade then may as well go with a few more friends and a lot more credits." Both of them chuckling, they went for a few blocks and into an apartment block to recover as many classmates as possible.

When they emerged an hour later they had their entire gang with them. Lenibus First Clutch, the sabilian's thin human form shadowing the group, Lunchou Pailaing, the young Muton, who already dwarfed his friends. And Eliza Vu, the brains of the group and childhood friend of Jan, black hair and slender Vietnamese frame included.

Together they had wheedled, snuck, or saved over a hundred credits. That was twenty for each person, and if the arcade had favorable rates could mean a lot of games played!

* * *

Father Yuri Grigori prided himself on patience. Since his days as the first X-Com operative who received MEC implants, digging the underground tunnels on a dozen Colonies, and as a long lived man, he had gotten a lot of practice.

Russian by birth, he led his friends and acolytes through the city, saying late morning prayers and greeting their many counterparts across the streets. It was his tenth day of fasting, in remembrance of his fallen friends and comrades in the Ethereal war.

Finally after an hour of walking they returned to the religious sector shared by most religions. Reaching their beloved chapel his acolytes finished the verse they were on and went inside to prepare for the day's early afternoon mass, and to have lunch.

' _Ah how I envy them_.' Grigori thought as his stomach gave a grumble. Ignoring such weakness he began to organize his sermon for today. ' _Today, is to be a good day._ ' He thought to himself, repeating the chant as he smiled at the first of his flock to enter.

"Ah! Welcome Private Krios, are you here for confession today?" He grinned at the man, who waved in reply. He was in his off duty uniform, the navy blue of the Alliance Human Marines.

"Not today father. This young man has done nothing but sit, eat, workout, and be bored out of his mind for all of his patrol and sentry duty." Slouching into the front row he was a young recruit, 20 years of age and a few months over.

"I hear that from many newly conscripted men and woman in the military. Always either wanting some action, or begging to be released. Doing good in your lectures I hope?"

The young Asiatic man nodded, "Of course, its the only da- ahem, sorry, its the only thing worth doing in garrison duty. Father told me that service gets better after the first year when they put you on a ship and have you do combat maneuvers and such. But I have nine months to go and already I'm bored to death."

Grigori smiled, "So you come to Father Grigori on your religious leave to hear some old war stories yes?" The much younger man sat up at that and nodded happily, "Well I'm sure I got one or two for a boy like you…."

* * *

Captain Serius Octanis was not having a good day, it wasn't his assignment, his flotilla subordinates, or even that this was the largest "patrol" he has ever led at 50 vessels. No it was the intel.

Mind flashing to the briefing he remembered how there had been numerous anomalous readings in this sector of space, so anomalous that it had been deemed necessary to activate a relay to investigate.

Hyperwave signals, considered science fiction and theoretical at best. Able to communicate instantly by supra-dimensional waves which travels almost instantly. Thought impossible by Asari and Salarian scientists as only feats capable by Prothean engineers, was now being detected by stations across the galaxy as little more than annoying static.

If what ever was making that noise was advanced enough to do that, it was possibly the return of the Protheans, or the emergence of a galactic threat. Well as the loyal captain of the Turian Hierarchy, and citizen of Citadel space, it was his duty to see who it was that was making all the static. And, hopefully ensure that they won't be a threat.

"Helm reports green across the board sir. Estimated time to arrival at relay 314…. 6 hours." The helmsmen reported from his chair to his front, past the galactic map.

"Good, good. I'll be in my quarters, let me know of anything new that comes up." Leaving the Citadel, 50 ships of various classes; his dreadnought the _Spear of Romultion,_ 26 cruisers, and 25 more frigates. This was a patrol fleet fit for active combat and subjugating a cluster of stars, one that Serius hoped would be enough to confront this new force.

* * *

Twilight was happy, in orbit at the edge of Shanxi's system everything was ready, ahead of schedule! Looking at her Human "Bodyguard" Colonel Matthew Perry, representing Human interests in this expedition. He was more here for tradition and incase they encountered any hostile forces than anything else.

' _At least he follows me without question_ ' Twilight thought pleasantly remembering some less than savoury X-Com operatives. "Navigator Pressly ETA to destination?"

Jeremy Pressly was a mid sized, mid aged human, white fair skin with already graying hair, and a calm demeanor, "Three hours Princess, about 1:30 pm Lu'an standard. Stellar drift may have pushed the relay off by a few dozen light years so it will take a bit longer to find than normal."

Nodding, Twilight was looking at the galactic map on the screen of the ship, seeing a small circle in their cluster of space representing the area the relay should be. Once they warp close they should be able to catch on to the Element Zero signature of the relay.

"Pilot Taylor, you are clear for jump." The navigator spoke after a few more minutes of preparation. Dr. Vahlen, the ship's AI flashed on the holographic pedestal holding her data chip.

"Princess, your room is to your specifications." Looking around the mostly quiet bridge, music started to flutter in from a long dead artist. The soft classical beats were soon replaced by hard electronic techno.

Twilight looked at Vahlen and shook her head, "Really? Scooter? I would have thought you would have chosen something more momentous? For the history books."

The AI's avatar rolled its eyes at the immortal princess earning an extra hard glare, "Well _your highness,_ you have the power to choose any song known to man and equine kind alike." She said in a snarky tone, quite unlike her progenitor.

Twilight, used to dealing with people like her, raised her own muzzle and using her omnitool chose something Rarity would most certainly approve of. Something by Mozart, his _Moonlight Sonata_ , its haunting, beautiful melody appropriate for the seriousness of the situation.

Colonel Perry to his credit just kept overwatch on everyone's duty stations, treading over to each of the bridge crew and observing them for a moment before moving on. These jobs often times got extremely boring, and it was not uncommon for unwatched officers and crewmen alike to revert to distracting activities, or games like Doom. It was in fact so common that most bridge electronics came preinstalled with the game.

Truth be told most were just doing made up busy work or listening to podcasts as they watched their respective stations for fluctuations.

"I'll be in my quarters, Colonel Perry you have the bridge." Twilight stated after a few moments of reviewing her crew.

"Aye ma'am, she's in safe hands." Perry replied, his british accent rolling into her ears like oddly sweet music.

The matrices of the translation spell that was on many Equestrians often times contorted the accents of the Humans into melodic tunes. While she could perfectly understand many of Humanities dialects and languages it was simply faster to employ her magic to do the leg work.

Walking off the deck she felt it was time to check in on spike and report to Princess Celestia.

* * *

The Arcade was reasonably full. Both an old school Arcade and a restaurant, the place obviously pulled in a tidy profit, being near the academic sectors of the colony. Bringing in children, teens, and hipsters alike it catered to the wide variety of species who called Lu'an, and by extension Shanxi, home.

The gang got four tokens a credit and many of the games were two tokens to play. It being noon now that left plenty of time to play and have a good time.

Jan and Kindred wasted no time in splitting off from the group and bee-lining it straight for the Dance Dance Revolution machine, which already had garnered a large crowd of various peoples. Playing on the two pads was a young Sabilian on the left pad, and a late teens Human female in sports shorts and tanktop with sports bra combo on the right.

The song playing was old, from the early 21st century, " _Hell is for heroes, like me and you._

 _love is for fools, the pain and the scars._

 _Heaven is for dreamers, who pray to the stars. . . . . ."_

They were both pretty good, the Sabilian using his natural agility to his fullest while the Human female, jack of all, master of none, kept up good pace and put up a fight.

"Come on Jan, lets try that one!" Kindred called pointing to the empty wing of games. Jan being eager to use some of his tokens followed his friend.

They were going to have fun today!

* * *

 **Codex Entries**

 **Defender class Frigate**

The Defender Class frigate is a multipurpose combat patrol ship and escort, equipped to counter any threat at any time. Over 350 meters in length (25 meters high and 50 meters wide,) it is served by a crew of 60 naval personnel and with a platoon of marines, coming out at 110 serving members. The ship's main role, as its name suggests, is to be a defense craft.

The ship is equipped with four Star-Ranger class dropships and a single boarding torpedo. For armament the ship is relatively well equipped to protect against the myriad of possible extraterrestrial, and more mundane threats.

It is armed with:

1 center fixated Fusion Lance

1 Underslung mass accelerator cannon

6 Broadside plasma cannons on each flank

Point defense lasers and Blaster Launcher defenses.

The ship is protected by the cheap but reliable Mass effect shield to protect the hull from micrometeorites and mass cannons, with combination point defense lasers and Blaster Launchers to counter enemy missiles, rockets, fighters, or boarding parties. And finally it is armored by nearly a meter of Vahlenite alien alloy in most places.

 **Enterprise class Cruiser**

The Species Alliance's premier space exploration and science vessel, the Enterprise embodies the Alliances desire to have the best of all worlds for its science ships. Balancing the need for science, protection, and offensive capabilities, the 800 meter cruiser is made in limited quantities.

Planning for any conceivable issues that may be presented to the ship, from peaceful first contact, to attack from hostile alien microbes, it was carefully tailored by the best shipwrights and designers in the Terran and Equis Alliances.

With room for over a thousand, it is most optimally staffed by 500 naval and science crew, while protected by a platoon of marines and a squad of X-Com operatives with 6 SpaceRangers for transportation and ferrying crew to the surface of a planet.

Armaments include:

1 center fixated Fusion Lance

1 Underslung mass accelerator cannon

15 Broadside plasma cannons on each flank

Point defense lasers and Blaster Launcher defenses.

An advanced AI manned cyber warfare suite.

And a wing of ten VoidStorm space superiority fighters.

The ship is protected by a strong and expensive mass effect shield, as well as Psi Operators who are employed to plague opposing ships and project a "Shield". The vessel is further protected by over 2 meters of Vahlenite plating, and extensive point defense for missiles, rockets, fighters, or boarding parties.

 **Sectoid Hierarchy**

Sectoids, also called the slang names Reticulans and Greys, are a psionically active but physically weak race.

First encountered in various abduction missions throughout Human history, the first concrete contact was January 1st, 2015 in the Berlin raid, where they abducted dozens of humans, killed almost an entire X-Com fire team of 5 men, and mauled military and police forces in the city.

Their homeworld is known to be in the Skyllian Verge in the Reticula system. This is unfortunately too far away to be reached and developed economically anytime soon. It is unknown the state of the planet, if any of the species still exists, or if it's under Ethereal control still.

Sectoid culture is indistinguishable from Human culture, having lost their own over the thousands and thousands of years under the UberEthereal. They were very quickly culturally assimilated.

Sectoid biology is not unlike that of a Human's, and is growing increasingly similar each time a new treatment is made for repairing them. Ethereal records state they had been much stronger, bigger, and better proportioned, but less psionically active. Computer models state they would have been an upright amphibious creature about the height of a human, in the mid 20th century with a nonverbal form of communications using a hivemind.

Their large eyes give them excellent sight and also allows them to see at night perfectly. They have vestigial webbed hands and feet, have gill slits, and in their head are pheromone emitters and detectors long since been made useless by genetic manipulation. Already however, steps are being made for allowing Sectoids to live in aquatic homes and make use of oceans more effectively than any other Species.

Sectoids are still asexual, and breed by releasing a clutch of eggs. Currently this method is very painful and can be permanently damaging to the Sectoid. They still breed relatively quickly, and since water is so common on Garden worlds and they produce minimal waste, they have plenty of living space.

They have found gainful employ as construction and maintenance workers, miners, low level psi occupations, and war and espionage.

Their role in warfare is much the same as what it was previously, light scouts and recon. Their currently weak frames make them unfit for front line combat, but their silent telepathy and their ability to operate in a variety of conditions make them prime for scouts and recon.

Their government is a form of Hierarchy, with elected officials being unconditional leaders of their hive minds. This allows for goals, ideas, and emotions to be transmitted between fellow Sectoids seamlessly from leader to underlings.

* * *

Author's Notes.

After significant finagling with fanfiction's new publish system, and editor mode, trying desperately to make indentation and more space between lines i can safely say that its annoying but worth it to get this chapter out.

As the title says, its a normal day in the city of Lu'an, the Capital of Shanxi. But is it? I hope to apply the supernatural and weird later on.

I was inspired by many other people's works, especially with Psi Effect, X-Com Second Contact, and more. And i wish them all the best of luck and bountiful writer's luck and no writer's block.

Jan will be a very important faucet in this story, and I hope you enjoy him.

Blood Raven


	3. Chapter 2: Shootout at the 314

**Chapter 2**

 **Shootout at the 314**

Twilight was in her quarters with Spike, her "little" brother dragon. He was not little anymore, he was big now, larger than a Muton, and he was just growing into his early teens. Looking over at his gently sleeping form she smiled as memories of the old days came, when she was not a Princess and just a student.

She remembered when she first hatched him, earning her cutie mark and being taken on as Celestia's personal student.

Then she reminisced that fateful Summer Sun celebration where she met her friends for the first time and redeemed Luna.

Then when Spike ate so much ice cream he got a horrible stomach ache. When he became an indentured servant to AppleJack. And when they went to the Crystal Empire for the first time.

Smiling to herself she realized she was getting lost in her memories once more.

Spike was occasionally billowing some smoke as he was receiving some well earned rest after being up all of last night making sure no pesky reporters snuck into her room to give her a, "Surprise interview".

After that interruption from composing her report to Princess Celestia, she sent it via an encrypted channel to Earth, where she was currently participating in talks about future colonization, and to hopefully convince the Humans to ease up on Military requirements and participation. They had enough ships to comfortably patrol an area of space twice their size after all, and have a full five Divisions of marines in each colony 24/7.

By the time she sent it, she noticed it was 2:07 PM Lu'an standard. A chirp came from her com-link, Colonel Perry's voice rolled out. "Princess Twilight. We have arrived at the relay, our support Vessels are already getting to work activating it. We should have it activated in a few hours."

"Thank you Colonel. I'm coming to the bridge to oversee the process." Standing up, Twilight stretched her sore limbs not unlike how a cat would, and giving one last look towards Spike she shut the lights off in her room.

Arriving in the bridge an upbeat tune was playing. One Twilight was unfamiliar with. Raising a questioning eyebrow at Colonel Perry he shrugged, "What? Never heard Colonel Bogey's March?" Twilight took note of the Human whistling in the background along with the rhythmic sound of marching feet and a full orchestra playing.

' _Hey, better than techno…_ ' The thought came unbidden as she went to her seat.

* * *

Serius Octanis was on the bridge of his dreadnought _Spear of Romultion_ , having been alerted that they were nearing the inactive relay. In preparation the Hierarchy had sent a scout through the relay to scan. Finding the immediate space outside uninhabited they prepared the fleet and deactivated the relay.

Now reactivating it, the feeling left a bad taste in his mouth. Breaking Citadel law was something he did not want to be made a habit of at all, and he hoped his superiors knew what they were doing.

Instantly his patrol was zapped to the other side of the relay. Gripping the railing tight as his ship was accelerated many times faster than light he closed his eyes.

"All clear sir. No contacts. And the static has gotten noticeably thicker." His navigations officer reported like any Turian worth his blood. Letting out his breath naturally he nodded.

"Excellent, send the frigates forward. Flotilla pattern, sensors on max. Time to Relay 314?" Moving his arms behind him, his claws grabbing one another to stop their fidgeting. This was unknown territory. The final frontier.

"Estimated time is three hours in standard patrol drill." His 2IC reported below. Nodding that was good. His men and woman were tight, no cracks and no signs of nervousness. Good, these were the best of the best of the Turian fleet.

"Then lets begin. All ships, move out to scanning point Alpha…."

* * *

Twilight Sparkle had found the whole activation process _fascinating_. The necessity to exit the support ships and move to the relay manually made the process difficult, but it was eased by the use of Cyberdisc technicians interfacing with the relay themselves.

Of course the crew got rapidly bored of the amazing spectacle and nothing was needed to be done other than standard course corrections and keeping an eye on the sensors. So the main viewing screen was instead replaced by some Human comedy called "Freeman's Mind 2." All Twilight heard was some annoying hypocrite, who cared only for himself and complained profusely over architecture and spouted some interesting scientific phrases which made her ears twitch.

After several hours the view screen was taken up by one of her captains, a large Dragon named Stuphieus. "Princess Twilight, Cyberdisc teams are almost finished. In a minute the relay should be activated." Twilight nodded in great satisfaction.

Unbeknownst to her, she had a large excited grin on her face, "Excellent Stuphieus." The Dragon nodded and cancelled the link. "Call up the _Highest Honors_ and tell them to get ready to go through."

The communications officer began transmitting via hyper wave. The Manta Ray like stealth ship, painted purple black like night, began to move towards the relay one kilometer in front of the _Enterprise_.

"Sir! Static spike from that cruiser! It looks like they've activated the relay!" The comms officer shouted. He was a new recruit, fresh from training and it showed.

Captain Ultoria Vitadas was no fresh faced recruit, so his response was more controlled. "Fire a warning shot one kilometer in front of that large cruiser. Let's get their attention."

His cruiser shuddered slightly under the strain of firing a 15 kilo shell into the empty space, the gun shaped cruiser leading a wolf pack of frigates who formed a vee behind it.

What happened next was unexpected as his weapons officer's mandibles twitched in confusion, "Shot has impacted sir….. Expanding debris field one kilometer in front of the unknown cruiser- Sir their frigates are returning fi-"

* * *

The _Sefu_ 's experienced and prepared crew acted fast at the destruction of _Highest Honor_. Firing with its Fusion lance as soon as it could after the unknown contact fired. The mass effect barriers of the leading cruiser did nothing to stop the light speed beam from gutting the cruiser, its mass effect core imploding spectacularly, sending debris into its wingmates who were stunned at the display of such powerful technology.

"Princess Twilight! Seven contacts have appeared from FTL and fired upon the _Highest Honors_!" Twilight could see that as the expanding debris field from the once Sabillian controlled ship, as the ship's momentum meant it was still drifting towards the relay as nothing but a dead hulk now. From the magnified camera view she saw a neat hole piercing its center mass, with impossible accuracy it seemed, the ship's Fusion cores had been destroyed perfectly, incinerating the ship from inside out killing the crew and making it an empty hulk.

' _How could they have known?'_ Twilight was left to ponder as her escorts began to return fire immediately. Looking to the X-Com operative for guidance he nodded and stepped forward.

"Princess Twilight Sparkle, I am assuming control of this mission until the threat passes. Do you have any objections?" Twilight shook her head numbly. She felt like she was kicked in the gut, one of her ships gone in an instant.

' _I should have been more prepared! This is all my fault! We should have been prepared for this!'_ She thought in a panic as she stepped down from the commander's pulpit and Colonel Perry began his work. Then she kicked herself, ' _No! I was prepared, we all were. This was just an unfortunate coincidence.'_

"All support ships, retrieve any crew outside your vessels and retreat! _Jotun, Sefu,_ keep up that fire, I think they are wondering what happened to their wing lead. Comms, send out a distress, Code X-Ray." Moving his hand to the intercom button he talked to the entire ship.

"Attention crew of the _Enterprise._ We are under attack by unknown craft. Chance of X-Rays one hundred percent! All combat teams assemble to your designated marks, PSI offense teams, report to your amps immediately. All civilian crew move to your quarters and wait for the emergency to end. That is all."

Ending his prepared speech he looked to the weapons officer, "Fire the mass cannon at the farthest ship on the right, and target the ship next to it with our Fusion lance. Gut the fucker you hear me?"

Turning towards the AI pedestal Dr. Vahlen flickered on. "You know what to do ma'am. Scramble their comms and get what you can." Vahlen smiled her trademark sadistic smile, and disappeared.

Finally it was Twilights turn to be asked something, "Princess Twilight. You are currently the most powerful Psionic here. I know you have been trained creating shields. Can you protect our ships?"

Twilight swallowed. She had been in fights before. On ground, in an atmosphere, and with her friends. But she had been in fights before. Nodding she went to a view screen, with timers and numbers, distances and lines. She already knew what she needed to do, not even noticing the suddenly aggressive noise in the background, made by the ship's speakers.

Summoning her power, horn lighting up with purple energy, she closed her eyes, then opened them to reveal brilliant white light. Suddenly secondary shield generators activated on all the ships, projecting the psi energy being fed into them by Twilight.

Normally such a feat is accomplished by dozens of psi users, but Twilight was no ordinary psionic, crowned the Princess of Friendship, and before that the Princess of Magic. She was a living near immortal deity. And she would help avenge the _Highest Honor,_ and ensure no more lives were lost on their side in this unprovoked attack.

* * *

Commander Vibiana Orinia was a lifelong soldier, fighting pirates of all species, even participating in mock battles with every citadel species. And she was in a panic. A calm, suppressed panic, but panic all the same as she saw two more of her wing get annihilated by those green beams.

The whole operation seemed to go sour as soon as they dropped out into space and Vitadas fired a warning shot. They must have accidently hit something, but she couldn't confirm her suspicions as everything on her ship seemed to be failing at once.

Her sensor officer said he was seeing nothing but white static on his screen. Her weapons officer was complaining to the sensors officer about not being able to target the enemy ships. Navigation was currently trying to combat the enemy's cyber warfare VI with their own ships VI. And her Engineering officer was trying to yell something at her. Her comm officer was saying something about not being able to communicate with the rest of the patrol and all the radio channels were being filled with the SAME SPIRITS DAMNED SONG!

Over the ship's intercom some song was being played loud enough to make her bridge count as a nightclub, by some unknown band, and somehow in perfect Turian, "Born to raise hell! Born to raise hell! We know how to do it and we do it real well…." It was almost enough for her to shoot someone to stop the panicking.

Looking out the viewport, ignoring the electrical static from holo screens she saw another one of the wing get destroyed, only because the green beam of death went up like a flare.

"Warning, warning!" It came out with the song, as it was entering some kind of instrumental part, "Ma- ma mass effect core dis- dis- discharge imminent-nent-nent-nent! Enemy C- ceeeee-CWS has accessed all in-internal files." The VI was now starting to panic and glitch, as the alien's VI started to corrupt her own irreparably.

This was a disaster. From what she could see only her ship was left. As she had counted 6 beams of light now. Leaving her ship alone floating dead in space slowly tearing itself apart without the enemy having to do anything beyond applying more pressure with their accursed VI. Suddenly the music stopped, the VI crashed, and the entire crew went silent as the lights went out.

" _This is Princess Twilight Sparkle, representing the Terran Species Alliance. Your people have engaged in an act of war. Surrender now and prepare to be boarded."_ The voice came through the speakers in perfect accented Turian, " _Refusal to comply will result in death. You have 30 seconds to comply."_

* * *

Twilight was psionically translating the message, using a standard translation matrix while the AI was appending their translation software with all the new languages acquired from the gold mine that was this frigate's internal data banks.

Waiting for a reply she had convinced Perry to allow her to try and convince the last ship to surrender. It wouldn't hurt since it was over 50,000 kilometers out and dead in space, its mass effect core prepared to vent all its built up magnetic energy into the ship and fry the Aliens.

The surprise attack had turned to a slaughter for the attackers. Despite the advantage of the element of surprise, the _Sefu_ 's crew had been prepared. It typically took the unaugmented mind of a sentient creature 30 seconds to 3 minutes to regain their wits in a tactical surprise attack. The Zebrican crew had done it in half the minimum time.

As the aliens sent their reply the sensors officer sputtered, "Captain! Over 40 more ships have entered space at least 100,000 kilometers out! One of them is over a kilometer long and leading the fleet with approximately 25 Cruiser equivalents, and 19 frigate equivs'."

Perry stepped up once more. "Dr Vahlen target ECM against that big bastard! Codenamed BattleCruiser! Comms tell those scientists to move their asses and leave as soon as possible, and tell Shanxi that we got a fleet here. Weapons, hit that large one and have the escorts destroy their cruiser Equivs'."

"Psi teams target enemy leadership. Ship plans are coming on screen now courtesy of Dr. V. Get those captains to either fire on their allies or send them to hell! Incite panic in their comms net. Buy us as much time as you can."

Twilight could see that most of the support ships had left, only a handful were still gathering up their teams. She redoubled her shields but was worried at her ability to hold against the one kilometer battlecruiser.

"Captain, enemy battlecruiser has launched fighters along with cruisers. I count over 150 targets. Shall we launch fighters as well?" Dr. Vahlen reported, a stray strand of hair over her features representing the AI was under stress, trying to fight off over 25 ships CWS, while trying to disrupt communications and do all the other necessary things an AI must do. Even she was having difficulties.

The Human ships opened up, their Fusion Lances cycled. The _Enterprise_ fired its own at the enemy battlecruiser. This produced a visible disruption in the foes rank, as the ship over 200,000 kilometers away was damaged by the Fusion Lance almost instantly.

Twilight saw Dr. Vahlen automatically note that the ship was suffering loss of atmosphere, structural damage, and several flight hangers were compromised completely and the ship was trying to get farther away.

* * *

Captain Serius Octanis was visibly shocked. Before him lay one of his ships dead in space, and an expanding debris field of what used to be six proud Turian spacecraft. He was about to open a channel to the surviving ship and had ordered fighter launch as soon as possible. That was when he received a barrage of reports from his various officers and the VI, reporting minor system malfunctions.

Activating counter CWS and ordering the same from all his ships made things better, but they were still having trouble.

At this aggressive action and the loss of his forward scouts he assumed the Aliens were hostile and gave the order to attack. As the Turian ships began to do just that, a sickly green beam shot out as fast as light, and speared his own ship, which was hundreds of thousands of kilometers away.

No one had seen such a weapon in action, and as the reports came in of moderate damage being done so suddenly and at the loss of two cruisers, things had went oddly chaotic as a dozen of his own ships just drifted in space doing nothing and the comms net was filled with unsettling screaming and screeching.

Then somehow his worst fears came true.

He was on the bridge, looking out the viewscreen as he saw Palavan _burn,_ thousands of alien ships hung in orbit, bombarding its cities with the sickly green beams.

Turning around to order the attack he saw his crew dead, in various states of dismemberment and others burned black. And their killers were of various alien species, all gleaming with awesome armor, with green glowing weapons.

He blacked out, and waking he was on the _Iron plateau_ overlooking Palavan's capital. Looking down a desperate street battle was being fought, the aliens scything down the Turians like grain, running in pure panic ignoring their training of setting ambushes, traps and-

' _No! Thats not right! Turians, under no circumstances have failed such a basic thing as falling back orderly, even engaged in hand to hand against Krogan!'_ He snapped out of it.

He was restrained by two of his officers and one of the MPs. He let go of what was in his hands and saw the blood on the weapons officer's bulkhead.

He could hear the reports coming from the intra-net, the captains of those dozen ships had all gone berserk, ordering their ships to fire on allies, shooting their bridge crew when they refused, and some of them falling to the ground gibbering wrecks crying like newborns.

"Wha- what happened?" He stuttered, tears falling from his irritated eyes eyes, mandibles twitching in confusion and despair.

* * *

What had happened was chaos. The Terran Alliance ships bought themselves a minute of confusion, allowing the _Enterprise_ to hurt the Dreadnought further, damaging its secondary cannons, and melting its forward prow so it looked like a mutilated bird of prey.

In those 60 seconds a vicious dog fight played out between the opposing fighters. The vastly superior Human ships broke off and pulled the Turians into high stakes maneuvers and devastating engagements near their own frigates and cruisers, using the enemy's own allies as a shield.

But only being ten ships against over 15 times their number they were vastly outgunned, but they still inflicted horrific damage against the enemy fighters, destroying one frigate and inflicting wounding shots against half a dozen more ships. But even they were unable to dodge the dozens of simultaneous attacks from the hundred plus fighters and the few GUARDIAN shots that received a lock.

For the _Sefu_ and _Jotun,_ they dodged dozens of shots at them, and took a fair share as well, their mass effect barriers and psi shields taking the brunt of the damage from the enemy force. They returned the shots toe to toe, each Fusion lance beam crippling a cruiser or outright destroying a frigate. But being only two ships, fired a grand total of four shots, crippling the Turian cruisers _Sword in the Sky, Hierarchy's Finest,_ and _Lucky Metal,_ while also destroying the Frigate _Belltus_.

The _Enterprise'_ s mass accelerator cannons did their best to keep the frigates back and physically shielded the few vulnerable support ships left, taking over twenty impacts from the Turian fleet with Psi shields barely able to hold under the deluge. Twilight Sparkle, the venerable Princess given multiple awards from Human and Equis scholars, powerful psionic, leader of the Shanxi expedition, was nearly unconscious with the strain of trying to hold back so many shots.

* * *

Orinia looked on with undisguised relief. Reinforcements had come just in time to save them. But even she was surprised by what her view screen was reporting. Her VI was broken, destroyed by an aggressive computer virus, and her Engineering officer told her that it would take a full overhaul just to fix the ship's mass effect core. But comms had returned and so had sensors.

Her ship may be dead in space but they held valuable intelligence, although admittedly limited, about enemy leadership and capabilities. And on what happened.

Unfortunately the reports from the fleet were disturbing. Half the channels were jammed the other half flooded with alien songs about hell raising and destruction, and while the Turian inter-ship comms network was holding, she could not contact the flagship.

"Captain, it looks like their freighter ships have all left by some form of portal." Her sensors officer reported.

What he said was true, the cruiser had been shielding them with its own bulk, its secondary shields having proven remarkably resilient to bombardment from over twenty ships. It was the dreadnought shots that actually pierced it, sending the purple haze surrounding the craft to dissipate like interrupted static from a Van Der Graaf machine, as the 38 kiloton explosion resounded off. It was strange it took the _Spear of Romultion_ so long to fire.

What ever the aliens made their ships in mind for was scary indeed, as the armor underneath the ship began to chip and pock mark under the barrage of cannons, and it seemed only the Dreadnought did any damage, renting and piercing the armor where it hit every two seconds. It was moments later that the entire ship was engulfed by a portal and its two supporting frigates joined it after firing parting shots at their pursuers, impacting the flagship and forming two red hot streaks on its side like bloody tears in flesh, deliberately targeting the hangers and causing resounding secondary explosions from fuel and ammunition going off.

The once proud flagship of the Turian hierarchy was laid low in two shots, bypassing its mass effect fields with no discernible effect and destroying its hangers and damaging large portions of the ship via secondary explosions.

Orinia could only shudder as she finally got a link with Serius.

 **Terran Species Alliance Codex**

 ** _Voidstorm Multi-purpose Fightercraft_**

The Voidstorm is the premier counterpart to the Firestorm fighter interceptor. While its atmospheric cousin is the king of the skies, the Voidstorm is the most highly advanced fighter craft made by the Terran Species Alliance. Its maneuverability increased ten fold by its creative use of mass effect fields, and the inclusion of full pilot integration with the craft, the ship literally becoming an extension of the pilot's body. It can also be used by remote, by its pilot, an AI, or commonly by Cyberdisc entities.

It is armed with a variety of modules to increase its combat effectiveness. It can scan enemy weapons systems and judges with a near 100% accuracy when and where they will fire, informing the pilot and giving them optimal routes. Advanced weapons targeting systems, also scans enemy craft detecting weak points and directing plasma fire and blaster launchers to max effectiveness.

The ship is equipped with a light armament despite this.

1 Plasma cannon.

2 laser cannons.

Optional EMP cannon for disabling craft.

And an optional rack of blaster launcher torpedoes.

Relying on friendly warships to disable enemy shields with mass accelerator cannons, when down they can deliver devastating torpedo volleys, made to destroy outer compartments and target weapon systems, effectively making the ship's dead in space and allowing X-Com and Marine teams to board and capture such vessels. Blaster Launchers are extremely difficult for defense systems like lasers to intercept, the warhead's integrated evasion systems able to detect when the shot will be fired with a 99% chance, and specially armored with a casing of Vahlenite. However it is still possible for GARDIANs and other point defense weapons to counter it, especially if they are operated manually and have no charge times to detect.

 ** _Equestrians_**

The Equestrians were the most advanced race on the planet of Equis when they were discovered in 2045.

Their country is about the size of france, the continent it lays on the size of North America. It is made up of great mountain ranges, beautiful beach fronts, rolling hills, and thick European style forests.

Having known peace for hundreds of years at a time and allowing their society to grow at an easy pace, the nation is unscarred by war and pollution.

While many species call Equestria home, its native inhabitants are the three Equestrian tribes. All Equestrians with few exceptions are small, pony like creatures. Short, 4 feet tall at the head, with large eyes giving them excellent vision unaugmented. They are all stronger and faster than the average augmented Human and come in a wide variety of colors and patterns and all but the foals have marks on their flanks called "cutie marks", representing their special talent and occupation. They have enlarged empathy glands, in nature this makes the herd animal much more able to connect with their peers, understand pain, work together, and combined with their enlarged eyes makes them even more endearing to other species.

The first of the three tribes are the flying _[Pegasi]_ , who can control the weather and are the nation's soldiers in times of need. Next are the _[Earth]_ ponies who are the nation's premier farmers and engineers. And finally the _[Unicorns]_ who embody the species' psionic capabilities and form most of the gentry.

Pegasi have traditionally formed the bulk of the military, their wing feathers opposable enough to make use of primitive tools and weapons and their wings themselves able to mount blades to attack foes while flying. Their history and cultural traditions support this and encourage a strong sense of duty and loyalty. The tribe is proud to be the host of the elements of Loyalty and Kindness. Their major cities are Cloudsdale, Las pegasus, and Upper Manehatten.

Earth Ponies actual name are untranslatable, and the closest approximation in English is earth, ground, or dirt. Earth ponies historically were the serf class, poor peasant farmers. They are renowned for their astounding ability for growing things, able to directly link with the latent psionic energy in plants and influence them to grow stronger. This ability is passive as just being around a plant will make it grow stronger. They are also larger than their Pegasi and Unicorn cousins, naturally being farmers nature has granted them more robust frames and higher muscle mass. The tribe is glad to have the Elements of Honesty and Laughter. Their major towns and cities in Equestria are Ponyville, Lower Manhatten, Appleloosa, Dodge Junction, and West Fillydelphia.

The Unicorns currently form the bulk of the nobility and fulfilled the role of knight errants in the turbulent times before the emergence of the Celestial Diarchy. Unicorns are divided into ancestral houses, the largest being Heart, Crystal, and the Shield houses. They fulfill a variety of roles like the other two tribes in modern days. Their chief ability is fine manipulation with their magic making them excellent scholars, scientists, and crewponies for both terrestrial and planetary shipping. Able to perform telekinesis, teleportation, shields, enchantments, and more. They are happy to have the elements of Generosity and Magic as their flag bearers. Their major cities are Canterlot, Baltimare, East Fillydelphia, the Crystal Empire capital, and Yanhoofver.

NOTE: It should be cited that the species is frighteningly similar, almost to the T of the popular show My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. As it turns out Lauren Faust was found to have been extremely active Communications psion, estimated to have been unknowingly active long before the invasion.

* * *

Author's notes!

So a bit shorter than usual, the chapters get much longer i assure you all.

I always envisioned the First Contact war was started by a misunderstanding likely a nervous alliance gunnery crewmen accidentally shot first and sent the entire situation to hell, after all I never got the Turians to be so belligerent as to shoot first and ask no questions later. (Because they wouldn't be in charge of the galactic patrols and peacekeeping if they were.)

While many may be annoyed, disappointed, or angry at the fact the Turians were so easily damaged, I'd like to remind you of a certain group, the Great Enemy. The Ethereals want to fight the great enemy, so why not make weapons specifically built to bypass and damage them. Since as we all know Mass Effect technology is the norm for the Citadel, and for a certain black large faction, I'd just like to let you know that if these weapons, specifically the Fusion Lance was not effective against weaker mass effect tech, then it would be considered a failure. Not to mention having the element of surprise on their side, after all who wouldn't be surprised if your ships are getting destroyed by two frigates and a Cruiser, firing their main canon every 30 seconds?

For one shotting most Turian ships, its not hard to disable a ship critically especially when it relies mostly on its shields like Turian ships do.

Here's my chart of things the big three Citadel players do in terms of actual toughness facing Ethereal tech.

Turians are maneuver warfare, having mostly fought pirates and other fast moving groups, they reduce armor in favor of speed and shields. How ever they are the best trained, and most numerous with a 40,000 strong total combat fleet.

Salarians are the inbetweeners, focusing on having a good all round fleet, not knowing when the situation will call for discreet pickup or a hot entry. Luck favors the prepared. They are more numerous than the Asari thanks to having stealth and spy missions across the entire galaxy, but they focus more on frigates and Cruisers than Dreadnoughts. Rough estimate would put them at 25-30,000 total forces.

Asari will be the biggest opponent to the TSA, thick armor, powerful guns, and some of the most advanced and robust systems their side of the galaxy. "Where we would have 2 failsafes, they have 5, where we have 3 they have 10." I'm paraphrasing but that's a good way to summarize their ships, they're made to last at least 60-100 years. They are unfortunately (For them currently) the smallest of the big three, letting the Turians take care of fleet patrols after all, they don't even have a real military just a large commando force!

Any questions i shall gladly answer, either in PM or story wise later! Please review! :)


	4. Chapter 3: Aftermath

**Chapter 3**

 **Aftermath**

The battle had been sudden, surprising, and devastating. In only one minute and 34 seconds of combat, his patrol fleet had lost around 50% effectiveness. To make things worse nearly a dozen captains and ship commanders were being detained following their sudden homicidal behaviour, including himself.

He was waiting in the brigg reviewing the vid file of his head suddenly being covered in a purple glow and his eyes glowing purple as well, ordering his ship to fire upon one of his cruisers. When his- …. When his weapons officer replied confused at why and refusing, he was shot for "Insubordination, and failure to protect the homeworld."

He had just nearly killed one of his own crew when under the power of… something. He was still alive thank the spirits, and his bridge marines had just restrained him. Others were not so lucky, having either taken their own lives or forcing their own bridge crew to kill them.

He had sent a flotilla of frigates to report back to Palaven with this information and to request reinforcements. Whoever they were, they seemed to like a few strong ships, and his fleet had been very close at destroying the cruiser and its escorts when they seemed to teleport out of the area after having destroyed or crippled a good portion of his fleet, four cruisers and a frigate would have to be abandoned, all of them hit by those green beams. His own ship needed serious repairs as well; the once-proud ship had its main cannon damaged, no open fighter bays or lander ports, and a loss of a fourth of its crew to injuries or death.

Of those fighters sent, over a hundred had been destroyed or damaged in the fight with the enemies ten. To make things even worse, all of his ships had suffered electrical damage from the enemies CWS and ECM, and crew sabotage had been pandemic, with several trying to overload the drive cores. None succeeded thankfully.

The most terrible blow to morale had been the impunity those ships had with their weapons, going through the barriers as if they didn't exist, melting through a ship's thin armor and destroying it. His ship only survived because of how big it was, and the last two shots it received had been fired to target its fighter bays, which caused more damage than if they shot anywhere else, cooking off ammunition and fuel. At least it seemed that their mass cannons lacked the same punch, with none of them piercing the shields of his ships. But then again it had only been two frigates and a large cruiser.

On the bright side he had also gotten a wealth of information from the _Havincaw_ 's captain. Vibiana Orinia's report of enemy ECM and CWS capabilities were enlightening and he had already forwarded the information to the acting captain of his ship with his recommendation and was being sent back with the frigates as well.

They had been caught wholly unprepared for the ferocity of this fight, and they suffered for it. From Malraka's report it had all started when Captain Vitadas had fired a warning shot to stop them from using the relay. Instead of flying through empty space, it had hit some kind of stealth ship by accident; completely destroying it and its crew. The small thing was barely corvette sized, at 150 meters. It had no shields and no drive core, and the only thing left of what his engineers assumed to be its powerplant was a lot of shielding and a hole down the center where its reactor had been.

No wonder they returned fire, the "big scary aliens" had just killed one of their ships, had a fleet of seven warships, and somehow targeted one of their stealth corvettes.

What made this a _royally_ political nightmare as well was the fact the cruiser had been carrying _royalty_. So not only had they accidentally destroyed one of their ships, they had also attacked one of the royal family and attempted to assassinate one of its leaders.

"It just gets worse and worse doesn't it?" He asked himself, mandibles twitching in indecision.

"Captain, your brain scan is complete, we can find no traces of whatever happened to you." Looking up it was one of the medical crew reporting.

Shaking his head he grasped his fringes and let out a breath, "And what of Tarkus? Is- is he?-"

"He's alive sir. Although he has lost a significant amount of blood. You nicked his aorta and it took the doctors an hour to try and stop the bleeding. Sir, I suggest another brainscan, what ever happened to you must have left-"

"Do it again, deeper this time….. I can still see the vision doctor."

"The ones of Palaven burning?"

"Yes. What ever they did to me, I don't want it happening again. To anyone…."

* * *

Twilight was unconscious, the strain and violent trauma of orchestrating the barrier over the _Enterprise_ had taken a significant toll on her mind, and she was suffering from magical burnout. Spike was worried horribly and keeping watch over her sleeping form in her chambers. He had written a letter to Princess Celestia, personally reporting her condition and the situation. He still hadn't heard back.

Judging from the last time Twilight had gotten seriously hurt she was probably quietly seething, too angry to write back. That or Discord had intercepted the message and when he read it, and decided to protect her by keeping it from her for now.

Colonel Perry had asked Spike if Twilight needed anything and he worked diligently to see every need met. He wasn't sure if it was loyalty to his mission, or the danger Spike posed to his well being if he decided things weren't adequate for Twilight. He had grown quite large and intimidating over the decades as he amassed his wealth and status.

Laying in his treasure trove, breathing black brooding smoke, it got into the ventilation system and produced a suitable dark atmosphere in the entire ship as the shock of what happened came to everyone.

It would be half an hour until they reached Shanxi. Dr. Vahlen had assured everyone they were much faster than the Alien Turians, and was already busy translating, organizing, and prioritizing the flood of data. It needed to be compressed again after bypassing the security systems by accessing it on as many personal electronics as possible in the ship. Then it needed to be sorted in categories.

So much needed to be done and she was wishing Hope or Twilight or some other AI had been there to help. Whenever called by the crew she had allowed her subroutines to show her harried state by disheveled clothing and ruined hair.

X-Com operative Perry had told her that collating the data and separating the wheat from the chaff was top priority, and to place a copy of whatever she had finished on his desk and that of Twilights when they reached Shanxi. He also told her to route information to the scientists on board to the correct department. Even as she saw a report of ancient autopsies performed by doctors on their species she sent it to the xenostudies group, already having their hands full with the culture, life cycle, religion, and variety of species now known to the Terran Alliance.

When they dropped out of their artificial wormhole, battered and bloody she immediately received a handshake protocol from Mack. Accepting his invitation she invited him to her "Home" and started a private chat.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mack, AI SID 23349582874 has joined your channel.

Mackie Roonie = "Whoo-whee! Y'all sure have been busy haven't you."

Dr. Vahlen- "No time for chatter Mack. System defense? How much do we got?"

User "Dr. Vahlen" is sharing data [combat data and damage ]

Mackie Roonie="Damn. We've got your three ships, about 100 Firestorm Mk. IXs, and 10 more frigate class Ethereal Battleships armed only with outdated atmospheric fusion lances. Planetary defenses include three standard Fusion Lance silos and two dozen BL anti dropship silos."

Mackie Roonie="When I got your distress signal I immediately called for reinforcements from the _Unconquerable_ and they say they can be here in less than an hour if they aren't delayed. I'm also prepared to start civilian evacuation and call up citizen reserves."

Dr. Vahlen-"Which is all of them. The Turians' only way of winning I predict will be a ground war to capture the planet and use it as a shield, forcing us to land ground forces to dislodge them while more of their reinforcements come. They won't be able to do their standard tactic of orbital bombardment with our Kinetic barriers up and with our fusion lances destroying any who try it."

Mackie Roonie="But they don't know X-Com. It's bound to be a slaughter as they drop down. We wait for the first wave to drop, then activate BL silos to take out enemy reinforcements. We keep them in the game, bleeding them of resources, stopping them from bombing the planet by keeping their own troops here as a further shield. We do it just enough so they follow our path, stay here until our fleet shows up to annihilate their own."

Dr. Vahlen-"And the best part? They won't even know they've been played since the beginning."

User "Mackie Roonie" has changed his name to "Military Intelligence AI Loki"

Military Intelligence AI Loki="Vigilo Confido."

Dr. Vahlen-"Vigilo Confido."

Military Intelligence AI Loki has left your channel.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

* * *

To say the good Princess Celestia was upset was an understatement of the entire Council session. She dominated the large room that seated thousands of people and over two-hundred Alliance Councillors.

Made impressive by the fire ball that was her mane and tail she stood in the center of the room, speaking first. She was not known for her violent, bloodthirsty nature. But after hearing about what happened to Twilight and how she and many of her people and top scientists were almost killed in an unprovoked attack, she was angry.

Brushing off the ash that fell on his suit, Councilor Zero, as was his honorary title, took control of the situation. While all the other Councilors and many thousands audience members were visibly scared or taking cover behind something, he had not even flinched. She had not been this angry since X-Com attacked.

"Princess Celestia. You will calm down, or I will have Commander Good Wind, and Operative Bay Watch escort you out. After putting out your mane."

She looked right at him, eyes aflame, her attention solely upon him. ' _Good,'_ he thought as he leaned forward to meet her gaze.

"You are disrupting this session and if you want me to seriously consider your proposal you will calm down. I understand that your are," Visibly searching for a suitable word he finished, "infuriated. But you must understand one thing. It is a Terran Alliance planet at threat here, not just your ponies or the people of Equis."

"So I can assure you; me, and the entire Alliance are deeply troubled by this unprovoked action. So X-Com, and the the Human Coalition, will be sending all they can to this problem."

Talking Celestia down she hid her embarrassment at her monumental outburst in the middle of her speech asking for immediate action. While she did not like some of the Human councillors, Councilor Zero especially, with him always sitting in his darkened booth, the gloom effect made unnaturally so no one could see his face, he had a point.

"The people of Equestria shall henceforth send all its ships to help repel the Alien invasion, and protect the people of Shanxi. I can also assure the Confederation of Equis States will send in many of their ships in support as well." Celestia claimed this as fact, and all of the Equis planetary representatives nodded their heads in agreement.

Councilor Zero nodded. Hitting a button he brought up the voting system for all the councilors. "As is stated in ratified Council Constitution, article 1 lines 1-5, we shall now have a vote for declaration of war."

A few seconds went by and all the votes were made, a light coming on above the voter to represent how they voted. 17 abstained, 249 for.

"Motion passes, let it be noted that at 2000 hours Geneva time the Council has voted to go to war with the Turian Hierarchy and by extension all of these 'Citadel races' who decide to involve themselves in this matter,. and will fulfil its war goals for the survival of all Alliance member species by any means necessary. May the Gods show mercy upon the enemies of the Terran Alliance. Vigilo Confido."

The last sentiment was echoed by everyone in the room. Afterwards it was deathly quiet as the occasion set in. The AI hovering above the room, acting as the archivist for this session, turned its light on Councilor Zero once more as he called for attention.

"As in following articles detailing the declaration of war, emergency powers will be given to Shanxi's planetary AI, calling up all reserves, and authorizing the activation of X-Com Stasis Operatives and the use of tier 10 weapons of war. Any who oppose?"

The room was silent. Looking to Celestia he added, "To lead the Reinforcement fleets, I nominate Princess Celestia, of the Equestrian Principality, and Major leader of Equis. May you lead us to victory."

Those who opposed the Princess politically didn't object, knowing that no one had more fury now then the Princess of the Sun, who could incinerate them with but a glance if she so wanted. Her hundreds of years of experience in war, and interest in the cosmos made her a perfect choice anyways to support Grand Admiral Kastanie Drescher.

"You shall lead the First and Second fleets, and the ships of Equis you are authorized by the Confederation to use. You will be given the temporary rank and title, X-Com Fleet Commander."

Suddenly the Muton delegate rose and let out a blood cry, pounding his chest, "The Muton Tribes, will also pledge its resources for the People! We do not wish our allies to have all the fun!" He bellowed in a deep baritone, the chest pounding being echoed by all the Muton audience and council members.

The Sectoid Hierarchy lead counselor, not wanting to lose face with his people at not giving in the time of need also rose, not very tall, he was on top of his desk. Linking with his speaker he shouted, "The Sectoid Hierarchy also will contribute its fleet to this cause." This was met by the Psi cheers of the Sectoids in the room, adding to the rising cacophony.

Next, the largest member of all the species of the Terran Alliance rumbled. Moving to his full height, nearly hitting the roof of the Council chambers, the great dragon Sota Ratkaisija spoke in his deceptively soft voice, "The Ponies of Equestria have helped my kind in the past, and this debt will not go unpaid. I will support the movement for the Dragon Holds to contribute their armies to your use. our young ones will crush the enemy beneath their claws."

It was almost a show now, as the dragons in the crowd, few they were, scraped their seats, the metal making a shriek as Dragon claws swiped over it rhythmically, to show support.

Councilor Zero smiled, the feature hidden behind the gloom as then the Sabilians, Ethereals, Griffons, Zebra, Changeling, Minotaur, Saddle Arabian and Donkey Conglomerate, and Cyberdisc blocs added in their own forces.

By the time Cyberdisc 1 changed over to his vaguely humanoid form promising the use of the Drop Carrier _Eternal Light,_ every race was making some kind of noise vying for war, except the Humans.

Councilor Zero frowned, that would have to change. ' _Can't be outdone by the Ethereals now_ ' the mentioned Ethereals were adding to the Psi cheering sounding like distant whoops.

So he did something that was never done until a Councilor Zero's retirement. He rose from his seat, so that all could see his face. Pointing his hand to the Princess, palm up he sang out X-Com's unofficial anthem,

"War for War,

Into the shot and the shell,

Into battle we go once more,

The standard-bearers of Hell,

War for War,

The best and last of the free,

Sworn unto Armageddon,

Honour the Cavalry."

This was soon echoed by the majority Humans in the room and then taken up by the other races as the full cadence came out. Sitting back down after riling the entire room to a frenzy Councilor Zero smiled behind the gloom.

' _Just as planned'_

* * *

This meeting was recorded, and sent by Hyperwave Relay, shown in real time to every colony, base, station, and ship, no matter how small. Even transmitted to the Stasis pods as the Ethereal War veterans were being awakened. The cadence at the end was shouted by billions of all worlds, with the final cry being two words. "Vigilo confido."

The Terran Alliance was ready for war, they had been training for it, preparing for it, and now that it was at their doorstep, no one would step down from this honor, from this chance to show what they were made of.

The inhabitants of the Shanxi system were confident, prepared, and for many, happy. They would be on the frontlines, over 100 years since the last war, and as a taunt to the Turians they sent it out on all radio frequencies and tight beam messages, the Omni-translated recording with some alterations to prevent the enemy gaining undue intelligence.

Decades later it was noted to still be ringing across the galaxy, and even cause several scares with planet born species with access to radio.

* * *

 **Codex Entries**

 **Communications: Terran Alliance**

While all citadel races use comm buoys, transmitting data through a relay of tight beam lasers, the Alliance uses Hyperwave Relays.

Hyperwave Relays use a supra-dimensional wave which travels almost instantaneously. The principles of this work by capitalizing on a parallel universe called Hyperspace. Forcing a microscopic opening, the device transmits its message by radio.

The radio message is then sent through Hyperspace which is compressed into a smaller space than "Real space" allowing for faster than light communications. It is approximately 1000 times faster than light.

The message is then caught by a receiver, which translates the static noise made by the radio signals in Hyperspace.

The entire device is smaller than a stasis pod and is relatively cheap to produce in bulk.

With more research into Hyperwave Relays, it was found how to further encrypt the transmission by using regular encryption methods and software.

 **Species Alliance Government**

 **The Council of Terra**

The Species Alliance Council is a body of representatives from all the Terran Alliance species. The way of choosing a representative is not universal, many are democratically elected, others are assigned the job by the species government.

Planets are allowed one representative per species, and a planet qualifies to have another representative if it has more than one million of another species. Ethereals are the exception, with extremely low birth rates their representative population cap is 10,000.

Planets are allowed to govern themselves independently after they have been established by a patron species. They each build an Alliance building and populations democratically elect their leaders every year to decide on policy, planetary and solar construction, as well as chose their Council member.

Sabilian

Sabilians were first encountered months before the first shots were fired in Berlin. Reports go that they had been attacking infrastructure and probing defenses months before.

Their homeworld was told to have been destroyed beyond recovery in their pacification and assimilation. It was reported as being located to the galactic "North".

Sabilian culture is close to Human's, major differences being their natural enigmatic nature and naming conventions to be aloof, distant, and bland. It is possible to meet a dozen John and Jane Does in a single city sector.

Their greatest cultural phenomena is their Grand Masquerade. Each Sabilian has a cabal they work within to keep secrets that are meaningless to the regular citizen, but to Sabilians are a matter of pride to keep it safe and will fight fanatically to do so. They sharpen their skills on each other, fighting, scheming, and tricking each other.

Sabilian biology is, while aesthetically Human, actually closer to a snake, often resulting in people referring to them as such. Their limbs are like that of a snake's body, able to curl and flex, making it extremely difficult to break their limbs, and excessively strong, able to jump atop three story buildings. They have redundant internal organs which can inflate and deflate to allow them to form different body types, and attached to their DNA sequences are easy to access junk data that affect their appearance. Combined with Meld, it's possible to change the outward appearance seamlessly and much more efficiently than previous Ethereal efforts.

Sabilians breed like reptiles, releasing a clutch of eggs. When the gene for unlocking the second sex were released it allowed Sabilian's to resume on their natural genetic course and hopefully with gene therapy they will return to their more natural form.

Sabilian's find their natural abilities in high demand as technicians, general workers, espionage and counter espionage, corporate work, and as light infantry and law enforcement.

In matters of war they enjoy a comfortable relationship with the Sectoid Hierarchy as partners. Sabilian's fast movement with Mectoid and Sectoid hunter killer teams allow for rapid reaction, target acquisition, and destruction of soft targets.

Their government is very secretive, forming an intricate weave of contacts, representatives, and false leads. It is accepted by the general public that while they do have a leader, he or she is likely the secretary of Espionage and interior and exterior defense, the most classified known position in the entire Alliance.

Currently the Sabilians have an award-winning spy show, _Apocalypse_ set in the current day Terran Alliance on Mars, holding back another alien species of micro-bacteria from another dimension, who wish to infiltrate and destroy the Alliance.

* * *

Author's Notes

Welcome back for another chapter. Yes i know this one is much shorter than usual but very important all the same.

Thoughts on this myself? Its been months since I wrote this so I don't remember exactly what i was thinking when writing but I do hope that you all enjoy! See you next Friday!

Blood Raven


	5. Chapter 4: Preparation Day 1

Chapter 4 Day 1

Preparation

 _Aboard Terran Alliance Fleet Flagship_ _United_

 _Sol System_

Princess Celestia set the datapad down with a satisfied smile. Her sister had just sent the last of the Equis Fleet in. The Humans had also given her command of two of their fleets, the First and Second Fleet.

Normally such a thing would be unprecedented, the First Fleet was made of the Alliance's finest, and exclusively defended Arcturus Stronghold and their homeworld. But the Human councilors, Councilor Zero especially, wanted to show they meant business.

So sitting in X-Com's Dreadnought, _United,_ in her personal quarters, she couldn't help but savor the moment of power at being on the former ship that hovered above her homeworld, like a threatening specter.

The Human and Equis species fleets already made up over a thousand warships would have been the most powerful combined Terran force to date. But with all the other contributions she had more resources on the way than she could wait for. Twilight had less than a week, and it would take at least a full week for all the ships to form at the rally point and be organized and updated with the battle plans.

She had kept in contact with Twilight, and since the enemy didn't immediately follow her, it can be assumed they either gave up, or more likely given the nature of these Turians, they were building up overwhelming force.

Reviewing Twilights orbital assets she knew that the _Unconquerable_ and her patrol force of 30 more ships had already arrived at Shanxi.

Looking at her own resources she smiled. At her hooves currently were three fleets, and each had 500 warships and equal numbers of smaller Ethereal warcraft.

About half of her current task force was comprised of corvette sized battleships and smaller from Ethereal designs. Good for making a defensive screen, logistics handling, and scouting ahead but in a stand up fight their short ranged plasma cannons and the hundred or so Battleship armed fusion lances would be unable to close the gap without kinetic barriers or psionic defenses.

Instead she would take the good Admiral's advice and use them as dropships and gunships, take advantage of the Sectoid affinity for scouting and telepathy, and the Sabilian and Changeling aptitude for stealth. They would be great for infiltrating enemy space. With specially modified Sabilians to look like those "Asari" they would be able to infiltrate any Citadel world.

Councilor Zero had wanted to show how weak the Turian's were, indeed Celestia herself wanted to _crush_ the "Citadel Council's," illusion of dominance. Prime targets were the Turian Councilor, their Primarchs, and a command summit meeting to be held on their homeworld. Sabilian agents disguised as tourists with Changeling support would strike at the heart of the enemy high command using Human "Hit and run" tactics to harass the population, and make this conflict as public as possible so no one would ever dare attack the Alliance again without thinking about it really hard.

Next up in weight she had about 500 frigates, mostly the Human made Peacekeeper and Equestrian designed Thunderer class, only a single fusion lance with MAC and Plasma broadsides.

But she also had a few ultramodern X-Com experimental Simo Häyhä class support artillery frigates, armed end to end with a single super fusion lance, maneuvering thrusters, a large mass effect drive core, and nothing else. They relied on a towing non-combat ship the size of a dreadnought, but testing showed great promise. Shame the Alliance Navy only had them as prototypes.

Then the bigger ships, cruisers and destroyers of all shapes and makes. This is where the Humans tried to find an economical balance for what they wanted. Anything to heavily armed was ridiculously expensive, anything undergunned may as well have been a frigate, and anything too fast would destroy itself with its heavy armor and guns.

So she had three types at her disposal.

First she had almost 250 of the Marathon Class Cruisers, fast, and lightly armored,she would need to give them room to maneuver

Next the Indomitable Class Cruisers. Well armored, well armed, they were the tanks of the fleet. She had a good 300 of the squat 700 meter hoplite monsters. They were also pretty expensive, so she knew they would need to be guarded with Frigate flotillas.

Finally the jack of all trades Cavalry class cruiser. Made to fill that gap between the two, and used as an economical cruiser. Moderately armed, well armored, and reasonably quick, they made up the bulk of her cruiser contingent at 400 total ships.

Next were the Coral Sea Class Carriers, the real heavy hitters of this fleet were going to be the endless waves of fighters and bombers with wings of drones at each wingtip. She had 45 of the two kilometer ships, each with their own set of Escort Class Frigates for defense. They were outfitted with over a thousand fighters, and for every fighter and bomber, there were ten drones, piloted by Cyberdisc entities and fitted to alcoves in the ship's hull, like a swarm of beetles.

Then the Heavy Battleships. Nine of them, three for each fleet. Literal mobile fortresses of firepower and devastation. Each of them on their own could have taken on that Turian patrol fleet by themselves. A five kilometer monster of a ship. She had no idea why the Humans insisted on them being so damn massive, a small town in their own rights, over five thousand crew members of various departments with a full brigade of Marines to police the ship and its operations and more than a hundred X-Com operatives on each ship for boarding. They were actually used more for command and control, being so massive as to be near impossible to destroy, and to act as a mobile base for resupply and refit for any ship smaller than a BattleCruiser, which was most of the fleet.

Then the Space Superiority fighters themselves. Quickly adding up the numbers, even she gaped at the figure, _63,500_ attack craft with _459,000_ Cyberdisc drones at the command of the individual pilots! No army in the history of _ever,_ save for the ancient armies of Griffins, had ever had that many aircraft or flyers.

And that wasn't all. These were just the ships at her location she would use for relieving Shanxi. On their way was over half of all the Terran Species Alliance ships, generously donated to help defeat these Turians.

Princess Celestia would wait for five days, then she would begin her attack against Turian Forces on Shanxi, wiping them out to the last ship if necessary to break the siege, then following them, she would bring the fight to them, and their colonies, and their homeworld. As Councillor Zero had wanted she would make a show of force and expose the Turians' unjust war to their leaders and their people, with a minimal loss of life hopefully.

"Celestia, why are you sitting alone in a darkened room with a grin like that?" Curling around the hardwood desk Discord looked at Celestia with mismatched eyes. "The maniacal supervillain look really doesn't fit you, ya know?"

Chuckling Discord laid upon Celestia's desk, in a pose that some would have said was interesting, but covering all of her plans and interrupting her work. "You should relax 'Tia, take a break, it's really not good for your hair to be stressing so much." Poking her ethereal mane it turned gray and sad, lowering down as if it were a flag at half mast.

Sighing, Celestia sometimes wished she kept him in that stone block.

* * *

 _Aboard Turian Hierarchy Flagship_ _Palaven's Wrath_ _. Relay 314_

Serius Octanis looked at the message sent to them from the aliens. A great room with a dozen different species of aliens and thousands of occupants. Apparently they used a council like they did, except much, much larger.

The large quadruped mammal was standing….. regally. Beautiful even to his eyes, but with an intimidating presence in the center of the grand chamber. His suspicions confirmed when nearly every being was sent flying for cover when the document she was reading spontaneously combusted.

They had just declared war on both the Turian Hierarchy and any Citadel races who joined them. For now command had decided to keep this quiet, and to squash the recalcitrant foes they had sent 500 ships. Half of the Rapid Reaction Reserve Force, or the R3F, in the Turian Hierarchy and all they could comfortably spare without alerting the rest of the galaxy, except the STG of course, that their ships were away.

From what little they could mine from the Terran Alliance information network, this civilization had only been in space for barely over a century. The Turian was impressed at their technological level, but was confident that it took significant time and resources to make their own vessels and that like his own government, they would need to decommission the outdated vessels over time. The Hierarchy has been in the Citadel Council for a thousand years, and it only held 40,000 ships of various combat classes.

He also doubted their fleet tactics; assuming they were a relatively new spacefaring civilization they would be more accustomed to wet-naval tactics. It would probably take them centuries for their space forces to unlearn bad habits. Spirits, Palaven only had half that amount of water, and yet during the Krogan rebellions many battles had been lost due to a naval commander's habit of two-dimensional thinking.

What worried him however was the enemy cyber warfare suites and VI's. From what he got from Vibiana Orinia, they had plundered the ships extranet system, taking anything they could in the span of time of the entire confrontation. Whole archives of data taken. Much of it was basic low level things, like culture, economy, basic information.

They also took weirder things like autopsies, medical dictionaries, and behavioural textbooks, focusing predominantly on Turian Physiology. What they wanted with that data was beyond him.

The most worrying part however was the military files they stole. Fleet formations, ship names, ship strengths, crew, army numbers, make and models, even current patrol routes for the Citadel, and more. All of it was taken, meaning that current doctrine would need to be changed and the fleet retrained as fast as possible before the attack in three days. Already he had gotten authorization from the Primarch himself for any expenditures as long as they weren't outrageous, and a full squad of Blackwatch had been deployed to assist.

They were fighting a unified, inspired enemy, and from how many representatives said they were contributing forces he would need to use every advantage in the book to help beat this Terran Species Alliance.

He found that the enemy ships were not infallible, indeed, with concentrated firepower their shields wouldn't hold long, just like any other ship. Although his Dreadnought being the only one to pierce those secondary shields worried him. What ever they made their ships in mind for was certainly troubling. That or they just built to last, like Asari.

Thinking about it, the "Humans" looked a lot like the Asari, maybe genetic cousins somehow? He would find out either way after this war was through.

Moving onto the analysis of their colony, it appeared they were on the frontier of their space, and the enemy had a lack of defensive screens which further indicated a small fleet. Being cautious however he felt the way to win was to either use hit and run tactics, swooping in via FTL, fire for 20 seconds then swoop out. Or use concentrated fire to destroy the enemy ships, starting with the frigates up. Neither had room for traditional Turian tactics, which involved overwhelming force from all sides.

From what his computers could gather, it took some time to build up the necessary charge to fire their main cannons, and if they could take them by surprise they could be in and out before a shot is fired from the other side and be dropping ground troops on the planet. Hopefully his forces would be able to overpower the enemy garrison and use their own colony as a shield.

He had insisted that the soldiers be trained with a one hit kill mentality. It was probably safe to assume that whatever the aliens armed their ground forces with, it would be just as deadly as their ships. As such the troops were being retrained as fast as possible to rely on cover over shields and armor. They were taking the exercises well and hopefully taking them to heart.

His family's honor, and that of his fleet depended on this, to fight a technologically advanced foe with overwhelming force and to evict them from their world to use it as a bargaining chip for peace. He hoped to the Spirits that they weren't making a mistake. As he thought that, images of Palaven came back. Rubbing his eyes he growled, ' _Enough, I must focus for my meeting with Admiral Saberian.'_

* * *

 _Peace Corp Headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland, Earth_

"... Those bastards…." A distinctly London accent resounded out through the board room for the Interplanetary Peace Corps Committee. It was spoken in shock at the declaration of war they were watching on the TV.

Formerly, the International Committee for the Red Cross, the Peace Corp had evolved from the respectable organization during the great Ethereal war, to the equally respectable, if more militarized, form it was today.

During those horrific 10 months of global war, the Red Cross and Red Crescent formations had been extremely busy, attending to the millions of displaced, and tens of millions more who were wounded.

And when many humans gathered in hard to defend places, the aliens came to attack. Neutrality and signs of peace be damned, registered members were both over worked and dropping like flies.

But with these horrific incidents, for every lost member, ten more brave souls rose up to help those in need. Brothers, mothers, neighbors, countrymen. All of them came and provided something for their fellow humans in need. The once defenceless doctors and volunteers began to see militias rise up alongside massive makeshift hospitals to support them. And while they died by the tens of thousands, the militias were confirmed to have held off more than their fair share of attacks and infiltrations, long enough for real military forces to come.

All of the Humans in the room currently were members of the old system, Allama Yusef Muhammed Ad-Hafar, Joseph Fletcher, Melissa Burnessi, Luca Gohl, and Patricia Rodriguez. All of them had been involved in some way.

The board room was well furnished, all of the decor and furnishings having been generously donated by private citizens and companies. The room was ten meters by ten meters big, with a relatively high ceiling. It overlooked a beautiful view of downtown Geneva.

Each of the chairs were of quality leather, specially tailored to each of their needs. All of them were spartan of design of course, the choice of chair was a test, to show how devoted you were to the job. Those who choose a specifically high end chair, expensive and fit for a early 21st century CEO, were deemed unfit for a committee like their own. But those who choose something comfortable and powerful, but chaste in tone, fit right into the group.

The conference table was a specially grown Oak, intricately carved with strong Equestrian designs, and the position where everyone sat, was a carefully carved sigil; Three dots, surrounded by a circle. It was laminated in clear glass. The table itself formed a circle, with the center removed and replaced with a holographic projection system when they required it.

Around the room, except for the windows, hung several banners, first the Red Cross, then the Red Crescent. The final banner, the international sign for peace, blood red embroided, on a perfect white outline. The Peace Corp flag. One of the ways they raised funds was by selling the flags as a status symbol, to show that the buyer has supported the greater good further in their own little way.

"This war is going to hurt a lot of people." Their Equestrian representative, Fluttershy, declared fretfully. A lithe butter colored Pegasi, she had striking grey eyes, and everyone in the room knew well of her ability to stare anything into submission. Her pink Hair was tied back into a fitting ponytail, and gave the older mare a strong but matronly look to her.

"Indeed Ms. Fluttershy. But now that the Council has put the plan into action there is nothing we can do short of rebellion to avert this war." Yusef added cautiously. The chechen man, renowned for his then brave actions of being both an "arabic" resistance fighter, and a public supporter of non secular governments, citing how well the Taliban and ISIS went. He was a gangly person, with graying hair and beard, but a fierce determination in his brown eyes, and his fair share of scars too.

"The Shanxi Peace Corp has expressed concern that they are currently understaffed, with mobilization occurring they are losing nearly 90% of their volunteer force. While they have the equipment they lack vital personnel and training methods for learning Turian Physiology." Abra'Fawz'Earth, the Ethereal spokesperson stated. He was currently wearing rich royal purple robes, made from the comfortable fabric the Ethereals made called Ily'Ah. His face was hidden behind a less enigmatic mask then his old war self, crafted to be a simple impassive orb.

"I would suggest calling in favors and asking the general people to come and assist us in sending relief personnel. Mostly People from Equis, Earth and the inner colonies. The outer colonies will be on high alert and will need all the people they can get." The other Equestrian representative, Gilded Heart said adamantly, the young fuchsia eyed, pink coated, red and gold waved hair mare stated. She was tall and regal, like most unicorns.

"There is little else we can do. To show how serious this matter is, I'll personally advocate the movement, and lead the fleet to Shanxi." Fluttershy offered, looking around to the twelve other members, each of them very close friends. Each of them helped her cope with her crippling social phobia.

"And this would have nothing to do with your friend Twilight Sparkle who is currently situated at the planet now would it?" Joseph Fletcher who had spoken first, replied, mock conspiratorially. He was dressed in a subtle tucked in shirt and tie, he had white freckled skin, and a tee shaped head.

Fluttershy lowered tilted her head down slightly, looking up from her large eyes at the man, "Its been a while certainly, with her leading the scientific expedition planning. But I'm genuinely concerned for the people of Shanxi, and the soon to be wounded on both sides."

With that statement in the air, the councilors voted in agreement on the proposal.

* * *

 _Command and control room, X-Com Primary facility Lu'an_

Twilight Sparkle looked over the reviews again. Standing in X-Com's planetary defense room the hologlobe, was gently spinning with a soft blue glow. Around, dozens of techs of all races were working diligently for any signs of the Turians.

X-Com Commander Alexander Dux was the pony leading the planetary defense alongside Loki, the planet's military AI which now took Mack's place. Twilight was the second highest in command in orbit technically, second only to Grand Admiral Kiffel of the _Unconquerable_ , so she was here to be his liaison. She was not well-versed in the art of war despite her family and her experiences.

Her brother Shining Armor was the captain of the Royal Guard, and the leader of the Crystal Empire Army. Barring the very short campaign Nightmare Moon had launched upon her release, she knew next to nothing on modern tactics and strategies, and had only a passing familiarity with fleet warfare, ' _I'm the Princess of Friendship! Not war! That's the opposite of friendship for buck's sake!'_

"Princess." Loki got her attention, locking eyes the AI nodded to the map, "Please pay attention." Blushing in embarrassment she nodded.

"Good." Commander Dux began again. He was a Pegasus stallion, old at 89, but still relatively young considering the average lifespan of a pony was now estimated to be going strong at 200. His cloud grey coat, and short cut sun yellow mane contrasted with his black irises, which she knew were cybernetics.

Remembering his background, he was an orphan, and he had been adopted by a Human family at 5. His cutie Mark was the X-Com logo with olive laurels around it. Not undeserved either as he was the first Equestrian X-Com operative and commander. While he lacked _real_ combat experience he had fought tooth and hoof to reach this rank. No one was more qualified.

"Our plan is to let the 'numerically superior' enemy land on the planet, after the first wave of dropships are launched and second wave is on the way we will open fire with the Planetary Defense Blaster Launcher Silos, laser defense grids, and deploy our planetary defense ships and fighters to intercept dropships containing Air superiority gunships and tanks first. If the enemy begin planetary bombardment we are to destroy the offending ships with our Fusion Lance defense cannons. If what our stealth scouts are reporting is correct, we will be facing up to five army groups, each number at 20 divisions with twenty 'Legions' in each division." He reviewed, the images of Turian Hierarchy symbols appeared on the holo board. The images they used were purple Turian skulls with cross marks, and a number under each to represent the legion and regiment speciality.

Doing the numbers in her head, Twilight estimated that to be the equivalent of 200,000 combat capable Aliens. Lu'an alone had nearly a million Human and Equis citizens, approximately 25,000 Mutons, 260,000 Sectoid workers, and 30,000 Sabilian agents. And there were millions more citizens in the other cities and rural areas of the planet. They were almost laughably outnumbered. If it weren't for the fact that this was a real war, and that many people would die soon.

"And they are also reporting the number of combat vessels reaching 500 strong. 100 of those are frigates, 5 dreadnoughts, and the rest are cruiser and destroyer class. They lack any form of carrier and so we estimate fighter craft to only be in the hundreds range instead of the thousands." More symbols representing ship classes came up.

Loki spoke now, "The hope in space is to use our fusion lances to destroy the dreadnoughts as soon as they arrive. From what we know the enemy only has around 30 of them in total, and they fire a MAC every 2 seconds. They are the biggest threat and so will be targeted accordingly. The damage to enemy morale is estimated to be high, as they also hold enemy command elements."

Shaking his head he spoke with sorrow, "Unfortunately we have not yet been able to break enemy comms encryptions reliably, and with so many ships their CWS will keep our AI's busy trying to keep their own spheres of influence intact."

Dux pointed at a blue icon with his hoof, "Hopefully our Psion auxiliaries will have great success breaking up the enemy formations like they did before. While we will be spread thin as is, I'm fairly confident that we could possibly take command of an entire dreadnought's command staff and use it against the enemy. That or scuttle the ship. There is only five of them and with simultaneous shots from 33 of our ships _should_ scare the Turians shitless upon realizing they just lost their flagships." from how Dux said it, Twilight detected a lot of doubt in that statement.

Twilight nodded, "Onto the ground war. What are these tier ten weapons of war?" looking at Light Winds he wiped away the previous symbols and brought up models of various death machines with two smooth actions.

"Terror weapons." Dux Raised his hoof up over the screen; drone designs, Chrysalids, MEC armors, and the X-Com logo appeared.

"First we have a variety of drones piloted by Cyberdisc's. Like this beauty." pulling up one it looked like a Floater with a long bladed tail and a mechanical skull face. Instead of hands it had two brutal-looking claws. A video demonstration showed it cloaking, decloaking, and then eviscerating a test dummy covered in state-of-the-art Titan armor. Twilight winced at how effectively it tore into the ballistics gel and ripped it apart, bypassing the cast armor at all its joints.

Next, she knew of Chrysalid's capability for terror. Each were carefully genetically crafted to be sterile and to have a similar mindset to dogs. Now used as living trashcans and pets. She also knew that even X-Com wouldn't use fertile 'lids against an enemy even in a worse case scenario, but that didn't stop them from releasing all the 'lids from the husbandry and letting them roam free. What they did was both fascinating and horrifying; using freshly slain bodies they implant their young to fertilize. Creating zombies who would rise up and attack their former comrades. Normally a fertile egg would take only a few minutes to explode into a half grown lid, making them a pandemic waiting to happen if they hadn't been so effectively neutered.

MEC armor designs came up. Mechtoids, Floaters, and MEC veterans sprang up, sporting daemonic looking armor and devastating weapons. The strangest were their psy-war kits made to hurt their foes morale instead of outright killing them, exhorting them to surrender, flee, or just blaring loud aggressive music. These soldiers were the shock troops, meant to take on platoons of tanks and win, to lead the charge against the enemy.

Finally several dossiers of X-Com Ethereal War veterans popped up. The first was Maria "Red Death" Friedmann. "Participated in over 50 missions, survived her squad being wiped out on three occasions. Has over 100 confirmed kills. The third most decorated soldier in the entire war, behind THE Gomez Rodriguez, and Shaojie Zhang who sacrificed himself so the Temple ship would not destroy Earth. Her nationality is German, was a member of GSG9 before her original squad got wiped out. Has sociopathic tendencies rooting from her extended time in X-Com. Her first kill was a rampaging Sectopod that killed her GSG9 squad with nothing but kevlar armor, 'balls', and a left over demo charge from a nearby construction site." Twilight read impressed so far, even with the dispassionate and bland report attached to the description, it painted a vivid picture of her skills, and likely mental condition.

She was short, 5 feet, but she was known as being the meanest, toughest officer in X-Com legend. Her bright red dyed hair, her red eyes, and her strong frame were excessive even by augmented Human standards. In her picture she was wearing her dress uniform, chest absolutely covered in commendations and medals from all the various nations she went to and saved people from. She is also the longest lived member of X-Com, having survived since the beginning of the war, when the Aliens hit Berlin.

Twilight shook her head in pity for the Turians. That was just the commander of the 30 stasis vets under command here. Dux nodded with a bit of awe, "We are truly in the presence of great heroes here Princess."

Loki rolled his eyes at all this, "The main tactic is to leave no dropship unattacked upon landing in the city, using Citizen auxiliaries and snipers we will use their own soldiers as a shield for the colony, to protect it from concentrated bombardment. As soon as those drop doors open the point man's head is going to explode, or a blaster bomb will be fired into the ship. We have to wear down their morale to win this fight. The trick is we can't absolutely crush them otherwise they will just bomb the shit out of us."

AI didn't typically curse, so when Loki did, Twilight got the solid idea that it would be devastating if the enemy believed that victory was impossible on the ground as is.

* * *

Chittering in excitement, Changeling drone Cathus flew through the air of the engineering deck in a titter.

He had royal purple Chitin plate on his back, with a gloss black body. His teeth were like a primates, changed by breeding programs and gene modification to allow him to be an omnivore, which was much superior to just eating meat or plant matter.

He was fresh out of the training pod, just elevated to Junior Infiltrator. He stood at a reasonable 5'6, average for a Changeling his age. His wings were much stronger than the fly like appendages before. Now they were made of the same carapace as his body. He had two muscled arms, with a few ports on each limb for emergency blood transfusions just in case. His legs were triple jointed and had hooves like his mother, who was a baseline Changeling, and he got his ice blue eyes from his Human gene father.

He was a well kept X-Com secret. A tool, the parasite to slowly eat the enemy from within.

Landing hard he nodded to his comrades on the stealth corvette. Already his sabillian teachers were transforming themselves to Asari, and the X-Com operatives were helping the Changeling infiltrators get their act together to look and _become_ just like Turians.

Just saying the name made him gag. The bastards killed his fellow Changelings and worthy Sabilian allies! And attacked the exalted Twilight Sparkle, champion of the Changelings and close friend of many Queens and hives.

Just thinking of them made his ichor boil with anger. Then his training took hold, he thought analytically, calmed down himself. It was unbecoming of an Infiltrator to show their emotions unduly. That is what he was told by his Sabilian and Changeling teachers.

Thaddeus, his wing leader, was a veteran. Having participated in hundreds of stealth ops and Infiltrations, he was ancient at 150 years of age. He had participated in actions like the Grand Masquerade of Canterlot (Against the reviled Queen Chrysalis), the repelling of the rogue X-Com agents, and in dozens of top secret actions.

He was not as heavily augmented as himself, but he still proved to be an imposing presence, despite only come up to his waist. Thaddeus attempted turning into a Varren. Unfortunately the dimensions were all wrong, he lacked the luster of a fish, and he was not long enough to properly mimic the creature.

"Varren attempt: failure. Too large to be properly replicated. Good work though Thaddeus, but it's just not possible." Dr. Diego reported sadly. Striking it off the list of potential creatures.

Changelings used a hard light illusion spell to pretend to be ponies. It was yielding like flesh, yet strong to hold up to daily rigors, often requiring for the caster to fall unconscious for it to fail. They were slightly smaller than normal ponies, just by a few centimeters really. Perfect for economical use of their power but anything bigger, like say a griffon, was proportionally more difficult, requiring great reservoirs of emotional energy.

Shaking his head to clear his mind he returned to the task at hand and fell in formation with the rest of his wing for inspection. Before them Thaddeus walked down the line of hybrid Changelings. He had a custard yellow carapace plate on his back, his eyes a glittering fuchsia, and his body carapace midnight purple. He had a proud crack in his backplate and his leg holes were completely distinct. To him at least, other Species had a very hard time keeping track of which Changeling was which.

Smiling, showing his own augmented teeth, Thaddeus nodded in satisfaction. "Transform!" He ordered and all of them changed to their personas. Cathus turned into a Turian with little difficulty. He was wearing a blue version of their armor they always wore, his coloring a reddish hue while he had black face paint on.

They all stood at attention proudly, like Turians in parade formation. Thaddeus moved down the line and smiled proudly himself. "Excellent." He clicked out. "Good. Good. Good Yuketh." Going to Cathus he stopped and gave a discerning look at him, as if he looked strange.

"Is there a problem?" He flanged out perfectly, his voice synthesizer creating that flanging note that Turians made when speaking. He also perfected the accent and he just _purred_ confidence.

Thaddeus smiled as he hovered up to his eye level. "Passport, Id, and tier citizen!"

He made of show of raising his arm and activating his omni-tool, "Alcus Hilscus, identification is 3791223. I'm freshly out of service, was serving with the first Engineer Brigade of the 10th legion. Here's my passport officer." Tilting his arm so Thaddeus could see he waited.

After a few moments of mock inspection Thaddeus nodded in satisfaction. "Move along citizen, have a good day." Nodding, Cathus lowered his arm and Thaddeus went down the line.

When it was over Thaddeus raised his hoof at two of the team, "Bang bang. Your being sloppy, your face paint is not properly laid up, and you don't have the _air_ of one of those birds. Rest of you were good. Cathus! Straighten up more! But good with keeping your cool. I think I can make a legend out of you yet!"

Swelling with pride Cathus nodded at the compliment.

"Attention crew. Initiating portal jump. ETA to destination 4 days."

* * *

Father Grigori finished his daily prayers before his churches shrine. This would be the last time for several days he knew. He had prayed to god for a bloodless battle and that peace would be swift.

He had come to God as he should, in his MEC armor. He had removed his helmet, etched with the Human skull. Finishing his reverential hymns with the rest of his flock, he rose to his very impressive height of ten feet.

With the purr of a well maintained machine he looked back at his armed church militant. His flock was all here, the last mass before invasion. Many of them were of the local military garrison, clad in their carapace armor and weapons at their sides as they prayed. All of them were on their knees in the fully packed cathedral.

Next to them were the reservists. The myriad of colors marked different divisions of the Shanxi's Citizen's Militia.

Donning his helmet, he was wearing his heavily modified but outdated Chaplain class armor. Not as fancy as the current X-Com MEC's but it was just as good in his experienced hands. Or stumps in this case but no matter.

Spreading his arms wide he spoke, "Rise children of god." They did, and looking up to his form he took his oversized plasma cannon in his hands. "We have now all made our peace with god. We have sworn to him that we shall fight to our last for his holy domain, to kill the invader, to utterly destroy the Alien. But we have also sworn to show mercy. As we did with our kind allies we have, now we shall also strive for the same with these Turians."

They all nodded calmly. Smiling behind his death mask he knew his flock was ready for what they shall face. He had commonly described to them all the horrors war could bring. How uncontrolled hate had destroyed entire countries.

As everyone left he caught Private Krios. "Brother Krios, is this the action you wanted?" He chuckled as the young man looked back with a small smile, as the young man let loose his own laugh.

"Its the action everyone's wanted Father…."

* * *

Admiral Kastanie Drescher looked down at the holo table with grim determination. She knew of her opponents. Their strengths, their weaknesses, ship classes and payloads. Hell even some inter-unit rivalries.

She had so much at her fingertips, it was why she had decided to make leading ships a career. And she was not going to have her first real battle result in failure.

Or death.

She was a slim woman, skin black as the night she roamed. She had long black hair, pulled into a simple ponytail. Standing at 5'11, she was told to have had a darkly attractive face.

Smiling warmly at all the assembled officers she brought up the tactical map, "Hokay, here's the sitch."

Assembled around her were all the fleet group commanders, here the information would disseminate, they would go to their officers, and their officers to their men.

"We are expecting over 500 enemy craft to attack Shanxi in less than three days time now. From intel we got we know that they expect that to be an overwhelming force. It will be for the first few days but when we come we should match their numbers with our part of the task force."

Looking at her First Fleet officers she smiled, "It's our honor to wipe them off of Shanxi. When they retreat we know that their Rally point is where we first met them. I want the Second Fleet to be there to catch their forces. I want at least 90% ship destruction. Ignore the escape pods, the mop up teams will nab 'em."

One of her officers spoke up, "Why 90% ma'am? Why not just annihilate them totally?" Admiral Drescher smiled and raised the X-Com logo.

"'Cause the Big X asked us to, Mendoza. They want to show the Turians what Humanity can do, and for the survivors to spread fear among the ranks of the enemy when they see our invulnerable ships."

' _Not to mention the eggheads want to record their mass effect jumps._ ' smiling though she raised a scale of ships, pulling up their Dreadnoughts, "But we've been ordered to destroy any and all Dreadnoughts we encounter."

"Now the great strategic pic' is for Sun Butt to decide, whether ta press forward or not." Everyone, even the gathered Equestrians laughed at the not so flattering name.

Moving onto the next section she started to point out flaws in the Turian ships and known tactics. "Be careful of their dreads, they fire every two seconds and one knocked out the strongest psionic shield ever made in less than thirty seconds. However they rely too much on their shields it seems, real thin armor here, one shots are only necessary it seems to crit the smaller ships. Leave them be, but if they keep shooting then put them out with a follow up shot from broadsides." They nodded and made notes on their personal tablets, all adorned with ship banners printed on their cases. She hoped her new ship banner would sport a Turian skull soon.

Smiling Drescher pulled up the schematics and description of their military grade drive cores, "The enemy have no definition for element 115, and use pure element zero technology. Omni-tools, mass drive cores, relays. So we have the technological advantage here. This also means we can apply pressure to their fleets by watching any planets they could use to discharge their drives and attacking them while they are blind and helpless." Once again the assembled officers made notes.

Now to move onto tactics, "The Turian ships are short ranged and underpowered compared to us, their longest ranged weapons are mounted on their dreadnoughts, kilometer long mass accelerators really with their max effective range being 100,000 klicks. These are our primary targets, they are the major threats to us and they are the first to die. Preferably in the first volley whenever we move in."

"We are to engage at range, 150,000 kilometers, outside of their max range and then move in by increments each time we reduce their dreadnoughts, and cruisers respectively."

"Ma'am, what about their frigates? Numbers alone could damage us." one of her senior captains asked calmly, his face darkened as he was standing in front of the light.

Smiling she brought up the translated codex entry talking about frigates, "Even they consider their frigates underpowered, fast yes but they only use them for scouting flotillas and harassment. If you lose kinetic barriers they will try to have their wolfpacks engage you, but our fighter screens are going to keep them back. If the fighter jocks do their jobs then everything should be fine."

Another question, this time from Captain Thunder Runner of the Equestrian Unconquerable _Celestial Transition_ , "Fighters. Theirs specifically, I read up on their ship-to-ship weaponry and it disturbs me. This 'disruptor torpedo' could cause some serious damage to us if they get close and point defenses may set them off creating navigational hazards." he moved from side to side on his hooves, not used to the attention of the 39 Humans and Ethereals staring down at him.

Dresher nodded, and soothed her officer's fears, "Their fighter forces should not be a difficulty, as they are only in the hundreds since they lack dedicated carriers. It will be the job of our numerically superior fighters and drones to destroy them. But just in case they surprise us, we will be leaving a few dozen squadrons among our formation to react quickly to intrusion."

Catching the expressions of all assembled there were no more questions, "Good, dismissed." with them saluting her she returned it as they marched away to inform their officers of the plan.

* * *

Jan was scared. It was a strange feeling he had never felt. As a child he had never been afraid of the dark, nor feared the monsters that were said to be in one's closet. He had been wary of small insects and spiders but never scared of them.

In his mother's arms, shaking in quintessential fear. He was being drafted. It had been announced on all the news networks, Mack even came up in his military configuration, the only difference being the fiery lighting behind his eyes, saying that he, Jan Philip Bulrick, was being drafted into the Terran Species Alliance Military and to report tomorrow to his school for advanced training and arming.

He knew all his other friends were being drafted as well, and any non combatants, those who were too old, too young, or untrained, were being told to report to their assigned global defense bunker in the underground network of tunnels.

Already many of the Equestrian families had packed up the essentials and left to the bunkers, or went to help others in the city prepare. A good portion stayed however, and joined up immediately with the Shanxi Citizen's Militia to help protect their homes and neighbors.

' _So why should I be afraid? All the other kids are doing it as well. Even Kindred!'_ Jan thought disparagingly of himself. Here he was in his mother's arms, shaking and crying. She cradled him in her arms as they sat on his bed.

His father leaned on the door frame. He understood what Jan was going through, this was sudden, and he was only 15, barely a teen. He scored good in combat stats but he was still unprepared for the physical, mental, and spiritual trauma that would be inflicted if he faced open war and bloodshed.

So he did what any good old science fiction lover did. He showed him the Star Trek Deep Space Nine episode, "Nor the Battle to the Strong". Like Jan's father, his father had showed him the show when he had expressed fear at joining the military. The episode showed how dangerous, quick, and mindless war was through its young protagonist. He would have been barely older than Jan.

Jan, watching it, saw all his fears, all his horrors displayed on his personal vid screen, and his father holding him gently in his arms with his mother.

"Don't forget Jan, that while war is a terrible, horrible thing, that we will always be with you. And it's not a bad thing to be afraid, for it's only natural. Just don't let it take control of you, don't fail yourself and your squad by running when they need you. You friends will rely on you, and you can rely on them." Both of his parents said that gently as he nodded, sleep taking hold of his eyes at this late hour.

His father left his mother to tuck him in as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 _Revival Chamber Alpha, X-Com Primary facility Lu'an._

Breathing in sharply, under Her own lung power, She looked around desperately. Her mind was swimming, She had a raging migraine strong enough to crack a planet, and Her arms itched missing the feeling of needles jabbed into her skin.

Lifting her numb arms She felt warm glass surrounding her pod. Waist deep in yellow amniotic fluid She started to get ready to fight anyway She could, fearing she had been abducted by the Aliens.

Memories started to assail Her now. Current events, new tactics, _wondrous_ new weapons. And allies.

Fighting through the artificial memories, She focused on herself. Who am I? Where am I? What's my situation?

First Her name.

' _Name,_ _Maria 'Red Death' Friedmann. Identification number, 167394. Occupation, War. employer, X-Com. Position, sniper. Rank, Colonel. Date of last engagement, Operation Exploding Face, US backwoods West Virginia January 13th 2016. Date of birth September 1st, 1990'_

' _Good, now where am I?'_ She mentally demanded the information, and much to her pleasant surprise someone actually answered.

' **You're in X-COM facility Alpha in the city of Lu'an, in the colony of Shaxi Col. Friedmann.** ' It spoke as if inside of her head. Smiling a cruel rictus grin she spat out the lime-snot flavoured amniotic fluid.

Her eyes had been cybernetically replaced, the fronts altered to serve as a computer for her, and feeling the back of her head, a data cable was attached.

"Oh really?" She asked as the AI brought up relevant data, as the last of the fluid drained out of her chamber. Completely uncovered, her alarmingly fit body was naked to the air.

The front of the glass slid down after she was hosed off by mechanical nozzles, spraying lukewarm water on her filthy body. Looking past the tinted glass she felt right at home. Squad banners hung over groups of pods in the underground facility where her peers were already exiting like her in various stages of confusion.

"Releasing data cables." A mechanical voice stated as she felt the cord remove itself. It was, she noted, an unpleasant feeling. Still smiling, but with a less blood curdling grin she looked to the other pods in her grouping.

Not even bothering to get dressed with one of the jumpsuits on the rack yet she continued to interrogate the voice, ' _Right, next. What have I missed? How long has it been?'_ Walking past all nine tubes she noted with satisfaction they were in various states of draining.

' **Year is 2157, April 5th, 2000 hours standard naval time. You have missed first contact with a hostile species known as the Turians, relevant data will be presented in briefings after you have eaten.'** The AI had a nice soothing tone, she placed the accent as American midwest. She got a good dose of it before in her time training rookies.

' **Earth's nations have combined into the Terran Alliance, and all Ethereal-controlled races have been fully integrated into Human culture as predicted. They are our allies Col. Friedmann,** do not engage.' The AI was insistent on that last part, well Maria didn't disobey orders, not from anyone like Commander Bradford at least.

' **We have also joined with the Equis races. They have provided the means to produce Meld and to solve dependency problems**.' Maria nodded as hundreds of images and datastreams of them were downloaded into her mind. She cringed, ' _our fault'_

' **Indeed it was.** ' The AI replied sympathetically.

"Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3, is my _verdammt_ voice working? _Gut_." Maria tested her vocal cords like instructed, enjoying the distinct Berliner accent she so loved. Long term use of the stasis chambers could result in entropy of the voice box, not being a muscle it was not stimulated like them. Speaking of which she smiled as she curled her pale bicep and great bands of steel formed to make a spartan jealous.

' _Ah yeah, thats what I like to see.'_ She thought with an even wider grin as she returned to where she started. The rest of the squad leads having done the same all nodding in satisfaction including herself. "Right! Come on. WAKE UP YOU _VERDAMMT_ LAZY BASTARDS! Hup too! get out of those tubes!" She yelled at the slowly waking forms of her squad. Slipping on the grey jumpsuit, adorned with the old X logo of X-Com.

The lights were starting to work, turning on in rows. The room was nothing but a giant concrete space, with its walls covered in tiles, and the floor filled with tube sections of wires and cables.

To her left a science team of various races and a sectoid work crew with a mechtoid got to work from the opening blast doors. Where originally there had been 150 X-Com stasis volunteers, now only three squads of ten were present in the underground prepping room.

Behind the scientists the FNGs were entering. Rookies. Every single last one of them were rookies to Maria, and she would establish her dominance the old fashioned way, after tying her boots and thawing out her squad.

'Your schedule for today is to eat, participate in briefings, eat, pass your physicals, eat, and warm up your squad with combat drills and extensive war games facing Turian tactics. Be warned the AI operating the TF will be cheating to use every conceivable advantage against you,' the AI in her head said.

Maria smiled; she'd have it no other way. 'Then you will eat once more and finally commence war games with local X-COM personnel to rub off some of your experience. After that you will have an hour of free time to get acquainted with the base and personnel.'

Double checking her boots, pulled tight she stood before the Shanxi colony X-Com Operatives. Hands held behind her back, she looked to the squad leaders, "Form up you _verdammt_ maggots! Before I decide to institute old X-COM policy of using a cattle prod to haze you."

That had the desired effect, as even a sociopath like her wouldn't test her to see if she would actually go through with that threat. "Squad leads, IN FRONT!" She ordered. Before her were ten squads of X-Com operatives, fresh faced, never having faced real war before. But she knew they were lifers, who trained every day, went through the toughest requirements known to man, and who commonly went through training drills underarmed, under equipped, facing Mutons in hand to hand combat.

Speaking of which, she saw at least a dozen Mutons mixed up in the squads. Stopping at each she was short at 5"1 but she made sure to give the presence of an elephant. Walking up to the Muton she got on her tiptoes, not even getting past his solar plexus. Looking up to him it didn't matter, for when she yelled at him to come to swift attention and to give name, rank, ID, and squad position. It made the Humans to his left and right step slightly away.

She repeated that randomly down the line as the rest of her squad got dressed and into formation. When she was done she was satisfied at the steel in the recruits veins, she smiled, ' _Half of these guys are twice my age'_.

Stepping before her squad she looked at the assembled recruits, "Combat drills will begin at 2400 hours. You will NOT have food until you have taken down at least half my squad. You will NOT have rest until you have defeated all of us."

They all replied, shouting out, "Sir, yes SIR!"

" _Fick ja_! Thats what I want to hear! Now you _fotzen_ , you have a lot to learn about our new enemy so move out!" With that she ordered salute and they returned it, making a satisfying thud as they about faced and marched out.

"Fuuuuck. And I thought our FNGs were green pricks." Her second in command, Col. Pete "Flanker" Callahan exclaimed with a groan. "None of them have seen actual war, lost someone to the foe. Tasted the blood of their enemies." Shaking his head he was adjusting the rawhide hat on his head. Made of Chrysalid scales.

The Australian was her counterpart, at 6'6 in height, he had paled skin like herself, a massive scar, caused by the Chrysalid his hat was now made of, ruined his features and forced him to replace his right eye with the ones like her own. He had insisted to Dr. Vahlen to somehow make it shoot fricking laser beams but she said they didn't have the technology to do so. Shame, he would make a good Commissar Yarrick cosplay if he would just get a giant claw and haunched disposition.

To the rest of her squad they were already donning their Multi-purpose tactical Titan armor, the new and improved version reserved only for X-Com personnel. It had everything the others didn't, long lasting stealth systems, jetpack, grappling hook, and all those fancy eezo tech upgrades like Omni-tools, instant mine and grenade manufacturing, mini-turret designs, and even a fucking wrist mounted ROCKET LAUNCHER.

And the best part? They were a deep crimson, looking as if they literally soaked it in blood, judging from the camo pattern, it look stained on. There was also an option to make it charcoal black to blend in at night, but she didn't need it.

Her MEC troopers got the most dramatic armor, made to look intimidating, and to be the most combat effective Personal Combat Armor ever made by Human designers. Over ten feet tall, digitigrade legs, and a built in particle cannon. It almost reminded her of one of those mechs from BattleTech or even from TitanFall. It couldn't go invisible, or have jump jets, but it made up for that in sheer killyness. Yes that wasn't a word, but even she was now seriously considering lopping off her limbs to use one of those.

The "Imperial Guardsmen", Heavy Combat Exoskeleton had double the amount of firepower than a Sectopod, the maneuverability of a standard infantrymen, the armor plating of a tank, and several Psy-war add ons made to scream like a banshee wherever it went if it wanted to. Red was green with envy.

It was armed with a back mounted artillery cannon that was optional, two large cybernetic hands to make use of specially made gatling plasma cannons or fusion lances to destroy infantry and armored vehicles respectively. It had a built in Railgun on its arm next to the particle cannon, able to turn anything infantry sized to a messy stain, and on the other hand Elerium enriched napalm jelly for its flame projector that would burn you on the molecular level. It also had shield generators to deflect incoming railgun fire. The thing was literally made to be a walking tank. With the weight to classify as one too.

Looking at the rest of her squad, Killager, Shepherd, Kia Soon, Callahan, Potters, Afolayan, Jaarvi, Mateev, and Duffy. Respectively, Assault, Support, Sniper, Assault, Heavy, Heavy, Support, MEC, and MEC. All of them were now augmented with MELD, changes she would need to get used to since before she had abstained from such advantages.

Now as she saw them put on their faceless masks, each etched with the Human skull as a mark of veterancy. 'Picturesque Colonel. But you're going to have to remove those helmets to eat now.'

Chuckling Maria waved for her squad to follow. Their preserved personal belongings they deemed to save would be moved to their bunks over the course of the day. For now they had to learn how to kill Turians...

 **Codex Entries**

 **X-Com Stasis Volunteers**

Shortly after the Ethereal war, X-Com had the most powerful special ops group in the world, over 300 hardened veterans armed with state of the art armor and weapons, poached from the best of the best throughout the planet.

After the peace treaty was signed many of these soldiers had irreparable PTSD and other mental issues making them unfit to return to the civilian population as they were. Recognizing this, Col. Maria Friedmann suggested using stasis pods to keep all the volunteers in storage until they were needed for war again since it was all they knew.

Commander Bradford agreed and when the idea was pitched to the Council, Councilor Zero agreed with the assessment, knowing that in times of need the greatest heroes of humanity are a few button presses away from returning to combat duty. These extraordinary soldiers were given the N7 tier designation, the highest military rank for combat soldiers.

To counteract rapidly advancing technology and tactics, programming regimens were implemented to keep them up to date on everything they could possibly need in war and otherwise.

 **Human Fleet and ground Doctrine**

With the invention of AIs, fleet warfare has opened new avenues of controlling the battlefield. Advanced prediction algorithms allow for Captains to make and execute complex, elaborate plans.

Like in chess one must have a master plan, to outpace and out maneuver the enemy and predict what exactly they will do, to anticipate their next action and be prepared to counter it and its counter.

So forms the core doctrine of Human warfare; Examine, counter, attack, repeat.

Whether on the ground or in space, in the grand strategic view or in the smallest of skirmishes, this doctrine has held up in all cases, and it has proven its flexibility.

 **Zebra**

The Zebra are a striped quadruped mammal a bit over a meter tall and racial cousins to Equestrians. If you wish to know more about their biology please revert to the earlier entry on Equestrians: Earth Ponies.

Culturally they are closest to a mix of Buddhist and African values, believing in animism, a higher being, and the circle of life. When translated, their language either comes out as a series of complicated adjectives, or in a scheme of rhyming or Iambic Pentameter. They are known to be excellent chemists and Shamans, with a deep and rich oral history about their homelands.

* * *

Author's Notes

Well welcome one and all to my longest chapter yet! Could you believe of blew right through this in a few hours when i was on a role?

Well right now I'm visiting family so my next update may not come in time, and I'm hoping my editor will go through the rest of this none and the next in time.

*Waves a Nats flag enthusiastically* Go Nationals! :3

Anyways my thoughts on this part of the story: Its long. Yes you heard me right, its long and I fear a bit heavy in exposition, but what i feel is necessary to enforce everyone's character and what they are doing. Preparation is key for both defenders and attackers and i aim for this to be thorough. And for the Turians, have no fear, Science is here to try and keep you alive!

The preparation is made into a three chapter section, why? Because i have so much stuff that needs to be included about technology, culture, and well realistic military preparations. you can't just call up a hundreds strong fleet in a few hours. Thats insane! Especially for Turians! Logistics lines need to be established, soldiers called up and recalled from off duty, ships contacted over hundreds of lightyears. If they weren't using a Reserve Fleet and army made specifically for this it could take the Canon weeks or even months for them to attack. For the humans they have few obligations beyond training and patrol, with much faster than light communications they are able to recall their ships at rally points faster, five days is remarkably quick for an army to organize, be informed and prepare a cohesive advance.

Well thank you for reading my thoughts and i hope you enjoy my take on how the First Contact war, or in this case, the Relay War shall go down.

Ps. YAY PSI Effect updated! Happy days!

Blood Raven


	6. Chapter 5: Preperation Day 2

**Chapter 5 Day 2**

 **Preparation**

 _Rich crimson blood splashed onto his face, he was covered in it, watching helplessly as an entire platoon of soldiers was ripped apart by a screeching horde of insectoid monsters. Somehow, the faces of the dying soldiers were as clear as if he was standing right in front of them. The dead did not rest easily however; their bodies standing back up as something unholy happened within them._

 _The bodies of the walking dead began to shred apart from within, revealing more of the purple insect-demons. After eating the strips of flesh and skin left from their birth they scattered, seeking out more victims._

 _Thinking it was over he let out the breath he had been holding in fear that they would hear him._

 _He was wrong._

 _One of the demons turned towards him. Screeching, it leapt towards him at an impossible distance, launching at him like a rocket. Mandibles spread wide, the flesh of the creature it had infected was still stretched over its face. Before he knew it he had been bowled over, and the monstrosity loomed over him. It leaned in, mandibles twitching as it sought to inject him too-_

"AAAHHHHH!" Pulling against the restraints that bound his body, Serius Octanis screamed and flailed as he tried to escape. His struggles woke the few other patients in the room and shocked the guards who were trying to hold him down.

Looking at each of their faces he saw genuine fear in them. It snapped him back to reality. He stopped struggling, sagging back into the medical bed, and shuddered as he felt a chill beyond any he had ever experienced before.

"Is everything alright? I heard screaming!" A full squad lead by the doctor on duty burst into the room finding the sight of terrified patients, an exhausted captain, and the guards looking down at him with a mixture of concern and fear.

Serius just looked up to the ceiling. He had been asleep for a few hours but he still felt tired, more so than before. Thinking back he remembered that the ship's doctor wanted to monitor him for the night. He hoped he got something out of that, it felt like just before, when he was under the control of that alien mind.

* * *

 _Combat training VR room, X-Com Primary Facility Lu'an_

Maria grinned as she felt that familiar rush of adrenaline. It was strong like that time in Hong Kong, on her tenth mission when she had been pinned down by a pair of Thin Men and a Cyberdisc.

This time, however, she wasn't under fire. Her stealth systems were engaged, making her look like a ghostly flicker in the unlit slowly and soundlessly crouched at the window sill, taking aim at the enemy with a plasma sniper rifle.

Looking through her weapon's holoscope she sighted ten Turkeys", as she was now calling the Turians. Electronically marked them she noticed her squad in the minimap, advancing in expert formation.

This exercise was for both the stasis vets' benefit and that of the new blood who were also participating in the war game. ' _Watch and learn kiddies,'_ she thought to herself. "Fire team in position." Hearing Callahan report in she winked a green light.

With a deep CRACK the first plasma bolt shot from her weapon. In the blink of an eye it had hit the leftern most sentry in the face. As the dead Turian fell she flicked to the next target; Turians had quicker reaction times than the enemies she had been used to fighting. She couldn't afford to be slow enough that they would have the chance to return fire.

Thankfully Maria hadn't survived as long as she had in XCOM by being slow. She turned the next face in her sights into a smoldering hole before ducking down and using her jets to slide to the other side of the room and through the door she had left open, just in time to avoid a messy death as a Turian tank destroyed the room she had been in with a round from its main gun.

Standing and brushing herself off she heard the sound of the tank being reduced to melting scrap as MEC Col. "Duff" Duffy fired his gatling plasma cannon at it. She heard squawks and screams as the rest of the squad surrounded the unprepared enemy on three sides seconds after she had fired on them, which had distracted them from the main advance.

Less than ten seconds later she grappled to the next building and leapt over the specially designed cover, built into most buildings now-a-days. She thought it great that she finally had some decent protection on the tops of buildings, whereas before she had to deal with 5-10 centimeter thick brick walls that could barely stop a 5.56 let alone a hypervelocity slug, laser, or plasma round.

Thinking about that, she was also happy that just about every building she saw was built like a bunker; meter thick reinforced concrete walls, squat structures, windows with shutters turning into fire ports. The world she had awakened to was a much more militarized one than the one she had left behind.

Taking position, the birdbrained commander AI had called for reinforcements. Since she was not needed for breaching the UFO - ' _No, no! Dropship, it's a dropship, and completely identified now!' she thought to herself -_ she joined her camper counterpart Samantha "Scissor Sister" Kia-Soon.

All that was visible in the loop hole for her rifle was the very tip of the barrel. So taking aim she saw the wide boulevard with cars on the sides of the streets, and closed up shops on either side of the road. With the only cover down the center the occasional stop light and vehicle.

The AI knew that the chance for ambush was high here, but it was the only way to get to the dropship in time to save its assets. The Turian platoon advanced cautiously, with the infantry on the flanks using the abandoned cars as cover as their armored support steadily advanced alongside them.

"Three. Two. One… OPEN FIRE!" Assault Col. Conan "The Celtiberian" Killager yelled, launching himself out of a three story building to land on a Turian IFV while it was still moving. Being buttoned up did nothing for the IFV as he simply fired down with his favorite Alloy Cannon, shredding everyone inside the crew compartment.

It picked up speed, Killager laughing daemonically as he straddled the turret, firing into the Turians on either side as his IFV rammed into the rear of the next vehicle. Jumping off, he cackled as he charged after the closest group of Turkeys.

Looking at the carnage, the analytical part of Maria's mind estimated that the enemy unit had been a tank company with supporting infantry… or had been at least, up until Killager's Killers showed up and ruined its day.

In the building behind the column, at the end of the boulevard, the fire team's heavy opened up with an emplaced railgun, firing slugs the size of Maria's middle finger. She didn't care how good your kinetic barriers were, that bullet hose fired faster than any of their guns, and had such a large kick that the first time Jenny "Gun Gun" Potters fired the thing it dislocated her shoulder.

But emplaced on a stable platform, with a cybernetic shoulder this time, it was turned into an artful weapon. Each explosion of violet blood was a masterpiece to Maria's sick mind.

From between two buildings, she smiled a blood curdling grin as a flurry of anti-personnel rockets raced out and impacted against the kinetic barriers of a hover tank, coming from Aimo "Dok" Jarvi. While it failed to hurt the tank it did kill the infantry hiding near it. It also drew the attention of the vehicle.

Opening it for Fedosia "Mean" Mateev to charge forward. In her massive hand she held a car, absorbing the small arms fire, allowing her to charge forward and smash a massive hole in the tank where the driver and gunner would be. Pulling her pneumatically empowered fist free, it was coated in gore.

Maria smiled as she saw her throw the car onto a hapless Turkey and taking her now freed flamethrower fist she stuffed it into the opening and turned it into a crematorium. " _BURN YOU BASTARDS_!" The mechanical voice boomed out in translated Turian, the MEC then loped away from the burning tank, before its fuel and ammo exploded. No one knew what kind of payload it had so it was for the better.

It was then that Maria and "Scissor Sister" Kia Soon opened fire onto the Turian heavies, covering Mateev as she exposed her back.

Scoring a hit she missed her Laser Sniper. It was currently resting in her quarters, horribly outdated and useless. Even as she thought longingly for its red beam she killed another Turkey, cutting it in half at its midsection. Kia Soon fired and shot at a Turian rocketeer aiming for Killager, aiming for his ammunition pack, creating a small crater where his body was.

The AI, who was fairly miffed at this, was trying his best, but the ambush had been set and he cut his losses, with a simple move he called in his airborne assets. 'Priority target, Elite Squad, tonnage full. Destroy the block.' It ordered as the commander.

Maria grew bored even as the lead tank's ammunition cooked off and destroyed the last armored vehicle, sending lethal shrapnel zigging everywhere. She began to support Killager who had been thrown flat by the explosion.

Jumping up like a martial artist he started to sprint to the nearest building. For the poor Turkey in his way he just ran him over, holding him up like, well to Maria at least, a charger from Left for Dead.

By now Maria knew that the enemy would call in artillery or reinforcements and even her group had to conserve its strength. Already Mateev needed resupply for her flamethrower and Gun Gun had fired off almost her entire supply for her weapon.

"Dropship cleared, charge set." Maria heard on the squad comm. Nodding she pulled her weapon out of its loophole and keeping her head low moved to the rally point at the ammo dump.

The rest of the squad she knew would do the same in an orderly manner. Even as she thought that, Killager was laying the groundwork and calling for an orderly pull back when their air support identified an enemy gunship squadron coming to blow them apart.

' _Nothing I can do, just keep moving.'_ she thought as she used her jump jets to make the next building. Knowing that she wouldn't get away in time on foot she looked down and saw a sewer access lid. "Get to the sewers squad!" she declared for all to hear, firing at the lid, melting it enough for her half ton mass to snap it apart and have her land in the knee high muck….

* * *

 _Lu'an Academic district,_ _Chéngjiù zhī zhù High School 7:00 Am_

"Name."

"Student Jan Philip Bulrich. Identification number 203029. Training infantry."

The administrator nodded and finding his name on the checklist she checked his name and pulled the newly fabricated dog tags out of their slots and threaded them with their tin beads.

Grabbing them Jan sighed as he saw them, ' _Of course they would be in chinese._ ' he thought sadly as he looked to the other side to see it written in english. Well at least in case he dies his parents could still identify him.

' _No bad Jan! Don't be so damn morbid.'_ stepping to the side he placed the cool metal necklace around his neck. Fitting it some place it would not chafe he joined his squad.

Lenibus had been redirected to the light infantry/security over at Lu'an Police headquarters.

Lunchou's duty lead the young muton to join his tribe as shock troops, to be given heavy Titan armor, a plasma cannon, and to lead the charges.

Only Kindred was present in his squad. With Eliza's tank crew nearby performing maintenance on their short barreled armored vehicle.

"Jan!" Kindred waved and trotted up. The look of concern clear on his face.

"Hey Kindred. So what does your mother think of you getting conscripted?" Jan replied half jokingly as he waited in the mustering fields of his school. It was overcast today, with a small chance of rain. Perfect for the mood most of the students were feeling.

"Hopping mad with a hint of balefire. Almost burned down the house. But someone has to keep you and the guys alive. I wouldn't want anyone else taking my spot." Kindred smiled wide, putting Jan at ease as they started to chuckle.

Joining the group the communal Minecraft server was activated. Pulling out his own datapad he joined the others in the ongoing construction of their magnificent fortress of cobblestone.

He didn't realize he and the many other teens on the field were being watched by their teachers.

"This isn't right. They are still children. Some of them just turned 15." Principle Nie Howin protested to Loki.

"It is their time I fear. X-com requires it. The academic sector lacks a proper amount of defenders. The school and the surrounding area needs boots on the ground to deny the enemy a foothold." the AI replied cooly, hands clasped behind his back and looking up to the greying matron.

Scowling at him the AI sighed, "You won't be unsupported, it would be devastating for morale if all those fighting for the city lose what is closest to them. I'm prepared to call in heavy armor support from the 5th People's Armored Militia and the 72nd Light Peoples Foot and have them stationed at the Shanghai war memorial complex. I just need you to hold this area and contain the enemy forces who land here until command can redirect troops here."

The principle held her scowl but when she was pulled away by her drill Sergeants her features lightened, "All students accounted for ma'am. Shall we call them to order?" her XO, Drill Instructor General Williams reported politely, standing at attention smartly.

Looking over the laughing children, playing or sparring or joking. She sighed, "Give them five more minutes. They deserve it….."

* * *

 _Gollop Chamber Control Room, X-Com Primary facility Lu'an_

"She is one of the most powerful Human magicians I've ever seen in my life." Twilight commented on her findings as she flipped through the readings with interest.

"She is so saturated with Ethereal Radiation that she should rightly be filled to the eyeballs with cancer cells!" Spike commented, wearing a comically big labcoat as he shifted to the set of screens on the wall.

"Her neurons are firing off like autocannons. Synapses are as active as a Human child's, not closed off like a normal Human adult should. Same with the other X-Com Stasis volunteers. It looks like X-Com did some unauthorized augmentations." Spike continued on concerned. It was stated in the Sudham-Wolcott Genetic Heritage Act that affecting the brain of any Species with MELD was strictly forbidden due to unfortunate side effects that could occur.

"Leave it to X-Com to break all the rules." Twilight muttered irritatedly under her breath. ' _What's the point of binding treaties and laws if X-Com will just ignore it?!'_ Twilight fumed silently as Maria came in from the Gollop chamber.

"So Princess Sparkle. How'd I rate?" She asked stately, standing at idle attention.

"Off the charts. Not surprising since you are the longest lived X-Com operative ever, being subjected to all that lethal radiation. And all those gene mods they put in your brain." Twilight looked angry, not at Maria, but at how X-Com would so carelessly shorten the lifespan of their best soldiers.

"Something troubling you Princess?" Maria asked worriedly, "Is there an issue with the gene mods?" She rubbed her shaved scalp, feeling the hair growing in already.

"Something wrong?! Yes there is! Do you know how dangerous it is to directly modify the brain?! Your lucky to still be speaking! To even be breathing subconsciously! I know X-Com can be reckless but I never thought they would go so far as to shorten the span of their soldiers lives by-" Twilight was obviously just starting her rant, Spike just sat in the far corner of the room, observing the operative warily.

"So what? It works fine right now right?" Maria replied, bored.

"So what? So WHAT?! you probably won't live another twenty years like this before you brain fries itself from the strain!-" Twilight was shocked at the look on Maria's face. Utterly uncaring, and a bit surprised that Twilight cared so much.

"So what? Everything and everyone I knew is dead. The only thing not dead are my squadmates. You've read our files, the history of X-Com. Before MELD we pumped ourselves full of drug cocktails to give us any advantage we could get. Steroids, nootropics, highly dangerous and illegal narcotics. That alone killed some guys before the war ended."

"We trained, and trained, and trained. Fought hard to protect our families, loved ones, neighbors, countrymen, and fellow Human beings. Taking any advantage we could get. When we first fought EXALT, my mind wasn't on how unethical their mods were, my mind was wondering where I could get them. So my team and myself could be stronger. Where I could become stronger so I could kill more and more Aliens. My life means nothing on its own. Every time I close my eyes I see those I failed to save." Maria shut her eyes and with a faint shudder and deep sigh continued.

"... I want to die. And when I do, I WILL take down as many enemies as I can in those last moments."

* * *

 _Psi Gym, X-Com primary facility, Lu'an_

"... So what was it like?"

Maria asked the question to break the steadily thicker ice forming around both Twilight and herself.

"What was what like?" Twilight asked, taking readings of Maria's brain and Psi waves.

"Meeting Humans? Not X-Com Humans, I mean the people behind the military? The civilians, average joe worker, you know? When I was iced, that show, My Little Pony, was still playing strong." Maria chuckled at how Spike shifted uncomfortably at the mention of MLP.

"Oh Celestia! Please do not remind me of that show. It still gives me the creeps! Knowing someone was in my mind and created a show about me and my friends." Seeing the mischievous gleam in Maria's eyes she recoiled back to her instrument panel, "And do NOT mention any clop!"

"Please don't. The last time someone did, she blasted them into a building. Then hid in her room for a week." Spike added in, pouring more water to the barrel that Maria was test lifting with her telekinesis.

Maria just chuckled, testing the new purple glow she had around her fist. "Wouldn't dream of it Twily. Ready?"

Twilight nodded with a relieved smile, "Beginning TK test number five, 50 kilograms of water weight. Begin when ready Col. Friedmann."

Maria began again.

Like she was told she thought about the object. Closing her eyes she visualized it in her minds eye, she wanted it to move, to hover in the air one meter, and to move back towards the wall by three meters.

Opening her eyes, they glowed a violet hue as she made a lifting motion with her hand, her fingers closed around as if they were holding the base of a cup, glowing the same color as her eyes.

The tendrils of energy reached out and grabbed hold of the object, lifting it in the air slowly.

Maria marveled at her own dextrous control, in each of her fingers she felt a weight, like she was holding half a kilo on each fingertip.

Experimenting she began to roll her hand, watching with fascination as the sensation on each finger changed, with the weight shifting with the barrel.

"So why is my magic violet instead of deep purple like the psionics during the war?" Maria asked curiously, pushing the barrel back and gently placing it down on the ground.

"Well its mostly the fact that you didn't have your magic aura activated then. If it was active you would have seen that magic energies came in all colors." Twilight noted down Maria's dextrous control, making a note for further training and teaching.

"You see my magical aura is lavender, like my coat. I 'chose' that color because it's what I always saw as a filly learning magic. Its difficult to explain." Twilight thought for a moment about how to compare it, "Its like trying to explain color to a creature with no eyesight."

Smiling Twilight did her best, "Think back to your earliest memories, you'll notice that your vision is tinted a certain color. For example, when I think back to my entrance exam, Celestia knows how many years ago, I remember an inexplicable lavender tint to everything."

To the X-Com Colonel's credit she began to understand, "I see, so only me and other psionics will see it as that color?"

Twilight shook her head in an affirmative.

Awkward silence reigned as Maria munched on a ration bar while Twilight attached more electrodes to her skull.

"Hey, so back to my question; what was it like meeting Humans? Pretty freaky considering we also had the other species with us." Maria returned to her previous question.

Twilight stopped taking notes and thought for a moment, recollecting like Princess Celestia had explained how, "It was. . . Strange. For most of my life I always had the feeling I was being watched, not the spooky way like a predator to its prey, but more like a curious explorer, young as I. Old as I. I paid it no heed, since it only came in moments of clarity or when I was alone and unfocused."

When I became an Alicorn it felt even stronger, but despite my power I could never pin it down, this Alien presence. It wasn't until I met a Human mare named Lauren Faust that I realized who it was who spied on me. It was also there at Galacon that I truly met Humanity."

"Not the picture I was painted by the ambassadors. I saw joy, happiness. Friendship. Friendship in a group of species I was not sure had any at all. All brought together, thousands of them, of all nationalities, species, and ideologies, by, well, me."

"It was cool at first then it got creepy with which what shall not be named. Although I think Rainbow Dash found it more favorable than I. She was always into…. eeeugh, shipping. And all those nasty things." Twilight shuddered at the thought of _Vore 'Celestia who would find that arousing?'_

Maria nodded and chuckled darkly, "Humanity is a species of opposites. Randomness made manifest." Twilight paused at that little line of wisdom.

' _Of course I should expect it from her, she fought alongside just about every group of Humans on Earth.'_

"So Twilight, why will I die in twenty years?" The question was sudden, but not completely unexpected by Twilight. Since their conversation earlier in the Gollop control room.

"Its a condition AI's suffer from at times; Urgrain syndrome. Its where someone literally thinks themself to death. Your brain is not made to be constantly active. your neurons and synapses are always active, even in your sleep. Symptoms are, you will feel more mentally drained more often, sleep will not be remotely as refreshing, nosebleeds, migraines, ghost pains, magical energy reduction, and death."

Maria thought about that for a moment. "So every moment awake is another moment my brain cells over work themselves?"

"Yes. You'll also note that stimulants like caffeine or SMOKE won't be as effective, since your brain is already overclocked. They may even be damaging for you. I'm sure however X-Com intends to put you back to sleep once the conflict ends. And if you go back into stasis your brain cells would recover."

Maria sighed and whispered to herself, preparing for the next test, "I hope I won't have to go back into stasis…."

* * *

 _Aboard Turian Hierarchy Flagship_ _Palavan's Wrath_ _. Relay 314_

"Are we sure he's even stable?" the Gunnery officer whispered to the Navigational officer.

"Personally? I think he's lost his nerve. What ever happened to him and those officers under his command can't be good for one's mental health." the Navigational officer replied back through a text message on the other's omni tool.

"I heard he scared the entire medical ward. He was screaming like a damned soul before he woke up. And it required all the guards to hold him down." the Pilot chipped in with a whisper.

"Shut up. All of you, I won't tolerate gossip on my bridge! Its borderline insubordination." Admiral Saberian reprimanded his crew. Morale among the force was already low with the prospect of facing a new species with access to directed energy weapons.

It was fortunate he quashed their insubordination in time before Captain Serius came to the bridge. The Turian looked like hell, his eyes were irritated and yellow, his face had the pallor of a soldier who had seen too much, and it was obvious that sleep had provided the Turian no comfort.

"Admiral Saberian, sir! Reporting as ordered sir!" he pulled a tight salute, showing no signs of the fatigue or distress that were in him.

Returning the salute Saberian spoke gruffly, "At ease."

Serius took this moment to examine his superior. He was average height at two meters, with his mandibles slightly bigger than most Turians. He wore a green and gold uniform, his chest was filled with assorted merits like the Nova cluster, and the Citadel Star. His white and black face paint marked his ancestry from Tridend.

"Are you okay Captain?" Saberian asked almost conversationally but Serius noticed the tone in the room, and how his answer would affect it.

"Yes sir, just a bit of sickness. Nothing too serious."

"Good because I need you in top shape. Now about your advised plans. You really believe the enemy will be powerful enough to force us using hit and run tactics? That we won't be able to overwhelm them with our fleet?"

"Sir with respect, I believe if they are even a fifth of our size they will annihilate this fleet in less than two minutes. Their primary energy armament seems to be a spinal fixated cannon similar to our own mass accelerators. They also have cannons of their own but they are just flecks of sand compared to their… lances."

To reinforce his point he brought up his own ship's recordings of the events. "Their lances take a while to recharge it seems, firing only every 30 seconds. We have ruled out heat dissipation problems due to the enemy ships not showing any signs of overheating."

Saberian nodded, already knowing this but letting the captain explain his point. "What other armaments besides mass cannons and these lances?"

"We don't know sir. For all we know they could have lasers fit for longer ranges than GARDIANS, plasma torpedoes, hell, even antimatter fusion bombs. All we faced here is two frigates and a cruiser, that for all we know could have been anything from a lightly armed scientific vessel, or the flagship of their fleets."

"Spirits damn it where's an STG team when you need one? If we could just get more information from their extranet equivalent maybe we won't be going in so blind." Serius gripped, more to his own shortcomings than that of Saberian.

Saberian had honestly expected more. Serius was a well decorated captain, and he was one of the few captains who lead a dreadnought. But from what happened to his patrol fleet, his assessment was not wrong.

"The most troubling thing however is their cyber warfare capabilities. They either have some freaky quick operators or highly advanced VI. Maybe even true AI."

"If that's true then it's just another law they have violated." Saberian commented. "These aliens are a threat to galactic security and it's up to us to contain them quickly."

Serius hoped, with a discreet shudder, that it was through peace, and not from a tidal wave of hell spiders….

* * *

 _Command and Control chamber, X-Com Primary Facility Lu'an_

"Lot more efficient than Bradfords setup." Callahan commented, kicking the "hot seat", which was a large tube, with a bunch of needles and a high speed data cable where the head goes.

"Uuugh! This thing is creepy, I can't imagine someone willingly interfacing with one of these things. I don't care how immersed you get in the tactical setting." Jenny added as she flicked one of the many menacing needles that interfaced with the spine.

"Da little horse has some big balls." Mateev added, bionic arms folding over themselves over her chest. "Not even I would hook up to dat." the Ukrainian woman pointed to the chair and the many others like it.

"Look on the brightside, at least you know your division commander knows the importance of self sacrifice." Maria pointed out, " _Gott_ , this thing still meneces me. Reminds you of a Mechtoid during the war. Sometimes I wonder; are we following the steps of the Ethereals?"

"The hot seat is perfectly safe I assure you." Loki sputtered on, activating on a nearby holo-pedestal. Assuring no one with his cold demeanor.

"All senior field commanders are well trained in the use and operation of the Field Commanders Tactical Chair." Loki went on, blithely unaware of all the unconvinced stares. Especially at the chair part, it was more like a tube, filled with suspension gel when the occupant was inside.

"... so it's perfectly safe I assure you." Loki finished after a lengthy explanation that both went over their heads and was perfectly understood.

"... So this is what Dux has to go through during the fight. He has my respect." Maria looked at her gathered comrades, eyeing each one for any doubt or argument.

All of them trusted her with their lives, and therefore agreed with her sentiments.

 _Rich crimson blood splashed onto her face, she was covered in it, watching helplessly as an entire platoon of soldiers was ripped apart by a screeching horde of insectoid monsters. Somehow, the faces of the dying soldiers were as clear as if she was standing right in front of them. The dead did not rest easily however; their bodies standing back up as something unholy happened within them._

 _The bodies of the walking dead began to shred apart from within, revealing more of the purple insect-demons. After eating the strips of flesh and skin left from their birth they scattered, seeking out more victims._

 _Thinking it was over she let out the breath she had been holding in fear that they would hear her._

 _She was wrong._

 _Impossibly, one of them spotted her. Very few would realize however that its insectoid face was covered with the stretched, tormented, features of a man._

 _Raising her arms she grappled its spindly appendages, her legs pushing against the monster's torso. Screaming._

" _AAAAAAAIIII-_ IIIIIIHHHHHHHHH!" Jumping off the bed she was standing on her footlocker, body drenched in sweat, arms out threateningly, prepared to wrench a neck from its spine.

Panting she realized she had awaken, and promptly, Maria fell to the ground crying, and holding herself close in a ball.

* * *

 **X-Com Organization**

X-Com is the largest paramilitary force ever assembled in known history. Billions of retired members, hundreds of thousands of active combat personnel, and tens of millions more employees. It has become necessary for the Terran Alliance to take a more active control of the government funded organization for accountability.

 _X-Com Officer Corp (X-COP)_ : X-Com Officer Corp is the leadership element of X-Com, producing the finest military officers across Alliance space. Many illustrious academies like the Grisson Sciences College, West Point, Royal Canterlot Officer's Stable, Khan Cyrus Training Mt., and the Royal Officers Naval and Space Academy have programs for the hundreds of thousands of officers that go through the Organization's ranks. Here the brightest military minds of the Alliance, Human and otherwise, train for the highly valued X-Com officership. X-COP personnel train to become field commanders, advisors, tactical and strategic officers. To be an X-COP is to be one of the best commanders in Alliance space.

 _X-Com Merchant Marines (X-CoMMers)_ : X-Com Merchant Marines, also known as X-CoMMers, are the mining, shipping, and industrial arm of X-Com. Providing all the necessities for the vast organization. They make up the bulk of employees for the official X-Com organization, employing tens of millions of miners, office workers, logisticians, and workers. Alongside the workers is the massive fleet of 50,000 transport ships and barges that make sure every base is supplied and every colony has access to basic necessities for survival and economic independence.

 _MarSec_ : The R&D, and main financer of X-Com. Martian Security, or MarSec, was appropriated in 2056, a time when big business was the big issue. When Several whistleblowers revealed the corruption and crimes of the company, which ranged from tax evasion to major labor rights violations, so problematic that if they were allowed to continue they would cause the currently booming Terran economy to tank worse than the great depression. When these allegations were confirmed, nearly all executive staff were stripped of their economic resources and found guilty for treason and received the death penalty and to be made as an example for other companies. With this tough action, most other companies cleaned up their act on their own, or under a similar "clean up" program.

Despite this dark history, MarSec has been lauded in the 22nd century as the leader of advanced technologies and the production of the finest and most reliable military equipment and consumer products, spawning the slogan, "Ain't no security like Martian Security".

Often times, they are used as an unofficial form of market regulation, breaking monopolies and trusts, stabilizing running prices, and installing and updating infrastructure. This can be seen most clearly with the [Hyperwave Communications Provider wars] market failure in the 2110's, where the few companies involved were refusing to upgrade infrastructure, and were charging absurd amounts of money for what had become a basic utility.

 _X-Com Emergency Response Corp (Peace Corp)_ : The Peace Corp, is the natural disaster and emergency response branch for X-Com, among its more contemporary vision of being a neutral, nonprofit organization for helping those in need. X-Com's greatest priority is for the people, the state, and the survival of the Alliance species. During the Ethereal war the Peace Corp was formed spontaneously out of no where by millions of people who wanted to assist those who were attacked by the Aliens. People of all creeds and backgrounds donated and volunteered throughout the year long war, putting life and limb at risk and even fighting for the survival of their fellow Humans in militias around the globe. After the War, they had folded into the International Committee for the Red Cross, to form the Peace Corp, and helped assist the displaced millions and police the Alien holding camps.

When X-Com was made public, the Peace Corp was invited to form their own branch of service, widely respected by X-Com base personnel, who had restricted contact with the outside world for security, had heard of the exploits of millions through after mission channels.

Throughout the years their ranks of volunteers and full time members have grown to numbers rivalling political parties. No matter the disaster or problem, the local Peace Corp garrison is one of the first on the scene of the incident. They also own, maintain, staff, and protect most hospitals. They have formed their own front company called the Sirta-Glimmer Heart Foundation. Currently the Peace Corp has thirteen council members, including among its ranks; the Equestrian Pegasus Fluttershy, the element of Kindness. Yusef Muhammed Ad-Hafar, Allama. And Ethereal Abra'Fawz'Earth, leader of the now defunct Ethereal Rights Party.

 _X-Com Combat Engineer Battalion (The Bratishki)_ : X-Com's Combat engineer Battalion was originally a joke group formed during the Ethereal War by the engineering department. Often times during an active combat area, Dr. Shen would comment when the ground forces inevitably encountered new technology, or a problem requiring the touch of a combat engineer.

Many of X-Com's combat engineers at the time came from Eastern Bloc nations, so jokingly the much younger soldiers called the much older Dr. Shen, Bratishka, or little brother in Russian dialects.

After the war, when after action observations where made of combat footage, it was determined X-Com needed a dedicated detachment of Combat Engineers fit for heavy combat. Many of the Russian Combat Engineers had become MECs over the war's course one way or another. As MECs, they could carry all the required gear for a combat engineer, and be protected enough to reach the objective no matter the opposition.

So it was, The Bratishki were formed. Building bridges, laying mines, and digging tunnels across Alliance space.

* * *

Author's notes:

So last Wednesday or around that time I reached 100 follows for my story. I would just like to thank everyone for their continued consumption of my story, and to my Betas, especially Count-Lurkula who has been an amazing Beta and has when he had the time, improved my writing substantially.

I know this chapter was late this week, sorry but my beta asked for a bit more time and i had to attend a wedding at the time when I would be posting this.

Anyways my beta suggest I trim down my chapters of its unnecessary stuff. I had a few things here lined up like what Shen's descendant was doing, Grigori, giving an arms lesson (Admittedly unnecessary), and a Battlespace reference.

I kept the VR session because i know you guys will want some action. Its just a taste of whats to come.

Blood Raven

Here's a question to you guys, what do you want to see for side stories? I've been lining up a few things and I would appreciate suggestions.


	7. Chapter 6: Preparation Day 3

Author's notes: Hey guys I'm sorry to report that this story will be on hold for the foreseeable future and reworking EVERYTHING. NOW DON'T WORRY! Its only temporary, for creative and story reasons I'm going to have to scupper this and restart my entire thing. My Beta brought up excellent reasons as for that, mainly chapter length, story plotholes, and more.

SO! Fear not, this will resume at a later date, it may be a month, it may be two, but I will never stop writing my story. So as a consolation I rushed through to finish chapter even and have decided to release both 6 and 7. Be warned this is not indicative of my writing for later, i just was rushed and felt i would cheat you guys if you didn't get to see more action, translation it's unbetaed, not given much looking over, and needs more work for the combat, but i needed to get it out snappily. So keep your eyes on the X-Com Mass effect section and I'll come out with my new and improved beginning.

* * *

Chapter 6 Day 3

Hold the Line

"Move it Student Bulrick! Your Allies are counting on you!" The radio blared, ordering Jan to move faster.

He was short of breath, running for what felt like his life, harder than he ever had before. His TacMap system on his hud reported his position on his helmet's visor.

Behind him, he saw the several red blinking lights of the enemy, electronically painted to show up on the map.

"Shit! Shit! SHIT! SHIIIIT!" He yelled as he dived into a blown out building, thudding on the ground and rolling into a dark corner. His armor's Chameleon Psi projectors turning his armor and weapons black so he would blend in better.

Starting to control his breathing, but scrunched up in a ball, Jan saw the trio of red dots come up to the turn. Two kept going while one stopped and briefly flashed a light inside the darkened room.

…

A shuffle of feet.

A quiet curse.

The sounds of war.

Then the light flashed away, moving on down the destroyed street.

Releasing a breath Jan didn't know he held, he picked himself up. What had felt like eternity was really only a few seconds.

When the dots turned another corner he got up and moved, stretching his sore muscles. Moving to the door at the end of the room he cut through the building to the alleyway.

Bringing up the full screen map he saw that he was simply two streets away from his overlook position at Strategic Position Alpha-15, (or better known as SPA 15). Checking his laser rifle carefully, he cleaned off the exterior plating then checked the mechanism.

Satisfied it was in perfect working condition, Jan began to move again. Following back alleys and checking his minimap and corners often, Jan quickly traversed the maze to his destination.

Meeting the end of the alleyway, he pulled open the reinforced steel door to the prefabricated made home. Pushing it open one handed he held his rifle in the hip fire position to cover himself for any waiting opponents.

Finding none he walked in and closed the door behind him, with as little trouble as he did opening it. As soon as it closed he took a moment to breath. The air contained the muted roar of a platoon support railgun, with the sound of yells and shouts underlying it every time it started to reload.

His squad was still trying to move up on the strategic point.

Moving as quickly as he could through the abandoned building, he took the stairs three steps a time. Reaching the top floor, he was not even out of breath as he moved to the window on the far side of the reinforced fabricated home.

Peeking out, his squad had made it about halfway down the ruined street, a wide boulevard with sparse cover, and identical homes on either side of the road. They had been supporting a tank, callsign White Panther.

The Armored Civil Defence Vehicle (Pulse Laser)MKX, had been disabled with an emplaced anti tank fusion launcher. Which had suffered retaliatory fire and its circuitry had been disabled. If that had been a real fusion launcher, there would be nothing of the Panther and its young crew, and if they were using real guns, then the cannon would have a hundred perforating holes in its protective casing and likely gone nuclear.

Thankfully, none of his squad had gotten hit, and he was undetected due to the suppressive fire going both ways.

Taking careful aim as he stood on the fourth floor, he acquired his first target.

'Squeeeze like dad said….'

Beeedooow!

His hud flashed, "+100! Enemy Eliminated!" Going back into the shadows of the building he scrambled to another window,

Wait, aim, breath out, squeeze…

Bedooow!

"+100! Enemy eliminated!"

"SNIPER! STAY DOWN!" Even 50 meters away Jan could hear the warning, as he began to move to a different room, just in time for the room he was in and the entire facade of the building to be lit up. 'Well, it was good while it lasted.'

* * *

Shanxi Orbit

Bridge of the Enterprise

Twilight Sparkle had regained her strength, if only marginally. Magical burnout was a serious problem with any species. The danger of doing so resulted in serious repercussions. While most would have folded long before with a shield that size especially on their own, Twilight, the Princess of Friendship, had been protecting her friends, so she had used everything in her reserves.

It had cost her, but not so much as the loss of her crew or one of the crews at the relay would have been….

Highest Honor…..

While she hadn't known the crew or the captain very well, or at all for that matter, it was still a barb in her heart. No matter how much Perry comforted her.

Looking into the void of space, the danger that it possessed was unimaginable, the mind was not the limit to what could come from its inky depths. They were fortuitous, only a very similar enemy had appeared.

Cradling in one hoof, holding it against the added arm by its edge, Twilight held a datapad.

Within held a collection of stories from science fiction authors, of all species. From their pages came alive stories of mind breaking scope, to heart warming similarity.

That was their greatest advantage. They understood that in space, nothing is sure, nothing concrete. For all they knew, they were but a tiny peck among many larger universes. So they treated space with respect, they knew the dangers held. And the breath taking wonders.

"Ma'am, we're detecting an incoming hyperspace wormhole, from the galactic south east." Her thoughts were interrupted by Pressly, "Its the Peace Corp fleet ma'am. They report that they are carrying medical volunteers, and Militia guardian teams."

Looking at her own viewscreen Twilight saw the 50 ships moving towards Shanxi. Only a tenth of them were combat craft, all of them frigates to protect their transports.

"Incoming message from the Red Cross."

On screen came a familiar butter colored pegasi.

"Fluttershy!" Twilight called out joyously, smiling wide as she saw her close friend.

"Twilight, it's a been a while. Permission to land and come aboard?" The pegasi asked shyly. While Fluttershy had overcome her weakness mostly, she still suffered from her lifelong ingrained nature of speaking shyly in public.

"Of course right away. You have docking and landing priorities now!" Twilight's hooves played out across an adjacent keyboard and gave the necessary clearance.

Twilight waited anxiously for Fluttershy's shuttle to board the Enterprise's hanger bay. After losing all ten of their fighters in their fight with the Turians, the bay had become extremely roomy. Normally the place would be swarming with engineers, pilots, and Cyberdiscs providing maintenance, or preparing for the next fighter launch.

Now it was a mini media circus. Lu'an Public News, Alliance News Network's Battlespace crew, and Shanxi System Net were all present, trying to confirm what exactly the Peace Corp planned to do.

Twilight just wanted to talk with her friend, but she knew from her nearly 160 years as a Princess that such a thing was necessary for the common people. And she was sure that this was Fluttershy's intent all along.

Regally, the butter color Pegasi stepped off her shuttle, flanked by an aide and the liaison the Peace Corp ws providing for X-Com and Shanxi Defense Command.

While technically a different branch of X-Com, the Peace Corp had enough autonomy to be considered a separate entity from the Paramilitary force. Much like how the navies and armies of old would have to exchange personnel for smooth communications.

Colonel Perry Stepped forward, a polite smile on his face. The first one Twilight had ever seen on the man, "Welcome to the TSAS Enterprise Chairpony Fluttershy. I'm Colonel Perry, leading X-Com officer"

At that moment Twilight stepped forward, a happy smile glowing on her face. "Fluttershy, its good to see you."

Looking past the lithe pegasi Twilight added, "Will you introduce your companions?"

The Human on Fluttershy's left was her aide, a plain looking Swiss administrator by the name of Casterella. 5'8 tall, and dressed in a plain suit and tie, the man was very formal.

On the Pegasi's right was Peace Corp Militia liaison Lieutenant Keller. Dressed smartly in Militia Khaki fatigues and cap. If he were a pony he would look just like Twilight's brother.

After a few minutes of diplomatic niceties Fluttershy leaned in and whispered, "I hear the plan is to take a lot of prisoners."

Twilight nodded with a faux smile, "Yeah, we'll talk about that privately."

Perry gave another smile and nodded at the two other Humans. And then the welcome party started to escort their guests to the meeting room to discuss business.

On the way, Fluttershy answered many of the reporters questions politely, offering reassuring words and kind rhetoric, urging that a peaceful solution be found quickly.

Fluttershy's words would pay off in the long run she knew. Wars were ended on amicable agreements if one respected the rules of war, and kindness was exchanged. Using her ethotical position, she hoped to temper the fear and uncertainty of the people.

Aboard Turian Hierarchy Flagship Palaven's Wrath. Relay 314

Serius dried his face. Looking up to the mirror he still looked gaunt, and his neck was still engorged with blood, the Turian equivalent of his face being pale, but he had cleared off the sweat and vomit that had resulted from his dream.

It was just as bad as the last one a few hours ago, but for some reason he had vomited when he awoke, doing the same thing in the dream before he awakened.

This time the dream was centered on some island, with a city taking up its entirety. Humans were dead everywhere, many wearing yellow and what looked like a makeshift camp and triage center. Ones he knew were police forces for some reason were dressed in black scattered around, as they were defending the ones in yellow, killed like the many others around. When he had entered a tent marked with a red plus sign he saw something that he knew would haunt his dreams forever.

Giant monsters, like krogan, but with breath masks on, much more bulky armor, and no hump. Inside the tent it was marked immediately as a medical center. But no help from medicine was happening now.

He stared at the nearest gurney and had seen mutilated and eviscerated corpse, once Human, the Asari like features made even more apparent of the face. Eyes glazed, staring accusingly, lips moving, "Why did you delay?"

Then he could see what the monsters were doing to the Human on the gurney.

Masks around their necks they tore great gobbets of flesh from bones, and tore organs out from the rib cage. And all the while those dead glazed eyes stared.

"Why did you delay?"

"Why did you delay?"

"Why?..."

He was having a resurgence of dry heaves, leaned over the sink his body desperately tried to pump his stomach for all it had.

Having nothing he collapsed, wailing quietly, one of the Turian equivalents of crying.

He had become certain these were memories or altered visions. His analytical side saw no benefit aside from demoralization of the enemy. But he knew that was not their purpose, they were too personal, emotions flowed that he had never felt. He felt pain, loss, pure blind rage… Sickness, shame, sadness, fear.

Hope.

'Hope…..' Happiness, satisfaction, joy, pride, certainty.

He stood and looked in the mirror, His talons dug into the metal sink, scraping the metal with a ear wrenching screech. He didn't hear it. To busy revealing the emotional boost. It was like the spirits themselves were girding him, showing him the light.

A silly notion truly but one he felt nonetheless. He looked in the mirror, "Hope, happiness, satisfaction, joy, pride, certainty. They feel so alien, but….." His father had fought in a separatist war, as a hastatim. He still remembered the screams of anguish he would hear, late at night. Duty didn't diminish guilt.

Guilt

That was the meaning of the dream. Whoever had it was not fast enough, had delayed. Or at least felt that they were delayed. A fresh internal wail came, his beady avian eyes watering.

'And there is the crash.' Guilt was the meaning of the dream. Whoever it was who had these dreams, these night terrors, were strong indeed, and he both pitied and admired the person who was having them. They weren't insane, gruesome and graphic yes, but not insane. They had maintained their mind, their very will, for a long time against such a mind breaking onslaught.

Wiping his eyes clear, and straightening his various accolades on his BDU armor, he left his quarters.

Guilt….. And Hope

Serius knew he looked like shit, but he pulled the best salute he could, standing rimrod straight. It was like he had a new spring in his step aside from how he appeared.

Admiral Saberian was mildly surprised by this. The Captain's health and resolve had been steadily dissolving as he had more and more of those dreams.

He would have to have him monitored now. This was a very quick change.

"Glad you could join us Captain Serius. May I ask what delayed you?" Saberian had asked conversationally.

The reaction he received worried him. The Turian looked down to the tactical table, eyes glazed over almost unnaturally after a few seconds unblinking. And he saw him mouth something he hardly caught.

Closing his eyes and bowing his head Serius breathed out, "I am still slightly sick, I- well, I'm going to need to eat again. I am truly sorry to have-... Postponed the meeting unduly. Please accept my apologies." Everyone was a bit perturbed but they had been expecting the Captain to have been in worse condition so they let it slide.

"Captain Serius I'd like to introduce you to the various commanders. General Desolas Arterius here will be responsible for the taking of the Human Spaceport and capital. General Septimus Oraka will be in charge of policing the rural areas around the capital and the other cities. Colonel's Ulphas, Ya, and Julii will be incharge of claiming the other major cities. Remember all of you, we want the planet's infrastructure intact and for the spirits sake don't make it a blood bath. The last thing we need is utter fanaticism from an enemy we just met, we don't want our hastatim to be considered moot if we are forced to just murder the entire population."

To suppress citizen militias in Hierarchy space, and insurgents in other areas, the Turian Hierarchy made use of "execution squads". The hastatim. First, "safe camps" were established in cities to incentivize surrender. Next, hastatim soldiers are deployed door-to-door; anyone who refuses to be transported to a safe camp or demonstrates hostile intent will be shot. Hastatim burial units then retrieve and cremate the bodies. Many other species balked at the brutality of it but it was basically the only way to win an insurgent war in any realistic timeframe.

But Hastatim became pointless if everyone displayed hostile intent, safe camps would be filled with the too elderly to fight or flee and the too young to understand, Gorsham was a textbook example of that with indiscriminate slaughter. If they wanted to use the world as a bargaining chip the people had to still be living. If they were all dead…..

Serius suppressed his shudder and dry heaving. He knew those monsters were now at least allies with the Humans. They wouldn't hesitate, he knew, to retaliate when they inevitably counter attacked.

"Also I'm sure you are familiar with Captains Victus, Ilisk, and Polus." Serius nodded at each of the officers as they saluted, returning it with military perfection. "Victus will be leading the frigate flotillas, while Ilisk and Polus will handle our flanks in this fight.

"Its a pleasure to see you again Victus. Ilisk, Polus, you as well." Serius greeted each as he locked arms with his fellow Naval commanders.

Familiarity and a personal touch was allowed between officers in the same service, knowing who would support your fleet more intimately allowed for better coordination. Nothing against regulations of course, but it never hurt to share stories and drinks on the Citadel.

"Forward scouting yesterday has revealed the enemy has a patrol fleet in orbit with around thirty combat craft of varying classes." Bringing up the holoprojector, everyone bar the Admiral gasped.

"By the spirits! Five kilometers… That's impossible!" Desolas exclaimed.

"I knew they built big but how can they afford a drive core that large?" Serius gaped, hands tightening on the guard rail.

"Basic readings show the 'super dreadnought'," Admiral Saberian used air quotes to emphasize his own disbelief, "Has enough element zero for a standard dreadnought drive core. Not nearly large enough to be the only source of inertial dampeners obviously. It is also speculated that the ship only uses it to move faster on a tactical field, and that it makes use of the same portal device that the Terran scouting party used for FTL travel. Thankfully there is only the one."

"Next down we have several classes of cruisers. We have dubbed the three classes as such." Bringing up a lightly armed and armoured cruiser sized ship he continued, "Intelligence has classified this ship a light cruiser. We have no indication to what it's armed with, or what its max speed is, although we are assuming that it was made for leading wolf pack flotillas. We have found that there are only around 5 of the ships, possibly leading the around 15 frigates." That brought rumbles of discontent.

Turian doctrine favored overwhelming firepower, and safe secure plans. The lack of intel was a major beating on their moral.

"A bit further up we have an obviously heavily armored cruiser." Bringing up the squat shaped behemoth, all the Army commanders immediately thought it looked like a tank. "It has a very large cruiser class core, and a variety of maneuvering engines. yes you heard right, not thrusters, but engines. Its postulated that this is either a ship of the line or artillery cruiser meant to get in the thick of it. Once again only five of these 'destroyers' are present."

That brought a few sighs of relief from the Naval commanders, for the Terrans it wasn't size that mattered, it was the lances, and it appeared that it had several of the weapons. They were happy there wasn't more of them.

"Finally we have a more standard cruiser. Whoever designed the ship seemed to want to balance the holy trinity; guns, armor, and practicality. Small drive core, moderately armed from what can be told, and well armored. We have seen them escorting the destroyers. Its speculated by intelligence that they are either escort ships, or represent a standard class of ship. Once again only 5 of them make an appearance."

"Finally the last cruiser is a familiar one. Its the same one that Captain Serius here encountered. It is still supported by its two frigates, the class that has been assumed to be an escort vessel. We assume it to be a more specialized combat or science vessel. We are assuming its in limited production, but we have still decided to call it a heavy cruiser."

"Now finally we have two classes of frigates, we have the two escorting the heavy cruiser, heavy set build, powerful, but maneuverable. Be careful of these two, they can punch way above their weight. The other type seems to be lightly armored, but they have very high energy levels. So beware of them."

Serius digested this information. It was strange that they would have such even numbers of ships. In typical doctrine, you had specialist ships of course but you also had a larger majority of general combat vessels. Unless…..

"Sir. I don't think these ships have seen much if any combat." Serius commented.

"What makes you think that Serius?" Victus asked with a raised hand, the Turian sign for him to continue.

"Well, the equal numbers, they have 15 frigates, 3 for each light cruiser, of which they have 5. They also have 5 destroyers and cruisers. It's like they are subdivided into all purpose battles groups for patrols, which is just as easily handled by a frigate pack, well that or they are the system defense ships. It doesn't seem right. Normally our patrol fleets are much more heavily biased on what they hold. I think that they are testing their designs in this fight." Serius explained reasonably, having divided the ships into combat groups.

"It is an interesting notion, however we cannot act on this information beyond speculation. As we all know, underestimation WILL result in deaths." The Admiral pointed out with nods from everyone else.

"Now lets go over the plan." Bringing up a holographic map of the system, he began the briefing. "We will come into the system via FTL, after getting a standard sensor reading from the scout flotilla,"

As he said this, the mentioned ships zoomed into system, "Once they signal that the entry is still a go, we will move in by the books. Illisk, I want you on our far left with your ships. Polus the far right. Victus, direct the frigates in the center, keep them moving, and I know this will be hard on your personnel, but keep the enemies focused on your ships. I'd rather lose a few dozen, than a few hundred sailors."

Everyone knew what that meant, "Your frigates are worth less than the rest". Like a good Turian however Ilisk nodded, saluting, "As you order sir."

"Once we are in position we will advance aggressively, shell formation. Dreadnoughts behind a cruiser and frigate screen. We will then enter FTL as soon as possible again to close the range gap." Outlining the next phase the ships moved forward, warping to within 50,000 kilometers.

"That will be hard on our drive cores sir. So soon after exiting FTL, it could damage the cores. Not to mention the navigation hazard we are presented with. There will be collisions if we aren't allowed enough time to sync up our navigation data." Polus pointed out this time.

"I'd rather have a few engine overhauls than risk the casualties with those lances. Hopefully that is their main armament, and they will contain more mundane weaponry at a closer range." Saberian countered as he prepared the holograms next stage.

"Once we form encirclement we will fire everything we got. Dreadnoughts are to focus fire on the enemy super dreadnought. Cruisers aim for the enemy frigates, we have to destroy our way up their ships. Since their Frigates are capable of critically damaging our cruisers in one shot." Saberian showed the enemy fleet slowly getting destroyed.

"R&D has come up with a partial solution thankfully." With that he introduced another Turian in the armor shell of a scientist.

"Good day Commanders. I'm Dr. Vaga. Let's get straight to business. Now, we all know why our Kinetic Barriers exist; to stop incoming accelerated projectiles from damaging the protected object. We also know that they have a minimum size discrepancy, and speed as well. After all, it would be impractical for a shield to destroy its battery by constantly repelling all the gas from the object, or all the radiation that we get bombarded with over time."

Everyone present nodded, with Desolas looking a bit more irritated, "Yes so what?" He demanded, wanting to get this over with.

"Well for ships, we have to make sure that gases, radiation, and tiny matter can pass through, since we have to move through so much dark matter, gases, and liquids in space, especially during FTL. Dark Matter being the primary substance in space, which as we all know is-"

Rudely interrupted Desolas growled, "We all know what Dark Matter is doctor. Please move onto the solution."

Vaga, looking suitably annoyed growled in reply, "Alright; I suggest after leaving FTL we override our Kinetic Barriers safeties and repel all matter. We can't be sure how taxing this will be to power systems, and how damaging it can be for the ship's internal equipment, especially if we enter FTL with it activated as such, but my team hypothesizes that each ship's KBs, could potentially take one, maybe if they are lucky two hits before their internal circuitry is destroyed and they have no KBs permanently. We will also have to end the battle quickly, because this close to a sun we will build up heat incredibly faster than normally fighting this close to a star."

"Ship losses are going to be high Admiral. No getting around that. This is a major system it appears, they are going to have orbital and planetary defenses." Victus pointed out, highlighting the planet.

"The capital city, that we've identified is called Lou'agn or something of that. As you can see here, we have detected some faint heat signatures leading to the mountain range to its East, these are large granite mountains, we need boots on the ground to scan the place by hand, but if they have a 5 kilometer Dreadnought, then I wouldn't be surprised if they have some sort of super gun that can shoot into atmosphere built into the mountains." Desolas highlighted the mountain range, making the peaks glow bright fuchsia, an irritating color similar to Humans with the color Red.

Saberian contemplated this, already having been informed by his intelligence staff.

Serius leaned forward, looking over the tactical map of the solar system, "No cover; this system lacks a suitably dense oort cloud which we can exploit to lure in any of their forces. Forget Kinetic Barriers we need some solid matter to take the brunt of their lance's damage."

"But what if the beam just burns straight through the matter?" Oraka asked looking curious at this.

"My Dreadnought managed to take a hit nose on, burned through over 250 meters of reinforced bulkhead and equipment rated to stop the Destiny Ascension's main gun. I believe a few hundred meters of solid rock will act great as a shield. Especially since it takes a long time for their guns to recharge." Serius countered confidently.

Saberian, done contemplating the suggestion and Victus' earlier comment regained everyone's attention. "Anyways, once we remove their space fleet, supply convoys will begin moving in to salvage their tech, Salarian's are going to want their hands on it, and we can always trade it back for anything we might require. Rather get something out of it instead of having a few research base's 'self destructing'."

It was a public secret that STG would destroy opposing research facilities that get their hands on dangerous things that can't be bargained for. A hundred years previous, the Batarians tried to build four dreadnoughts in secret, thinking they were so clever buying off the Shadow Broker and keeping it in dark space.

But the STG being STG already knew of their existence as soon as the idea was blurted out by an ambitious admiral. Long story short, as soon as the crew got on the ships they had a sudden and very catastrophic drive core overload, destroying all four dreadnoughts in a massive singularity, along with the deep space drydocks. Resulting in hundreds of billions of credits worth of material and personnel lost.

To add insult to injury, the Salarians then released all their information on the Batarian's secret attempt to break the Treaty of Farixen, and had to pay Legal damages on top of the dreadnoughts costs. It was said the Batarian's were so embarrassed, and their people so angry, they never even blustered once the entire session.

It is why the Turians have the saying, 'The sweetest victory is not on the battlefield.'

So it was far better from a diplomatic standpoint to just hand back most of the tech and play dumb on the rest. Don't want to risk their top scientists being killed over some tech that they could probably trade for after all. And who knew how far these new species would go to protect their secrets?

Saberian nodded to the ground commanders, "We're on the clock, we have no idea how long it will take for enemy to gather their forces, but if their tech level is any indication they easily have the power to overwhelm the Hierarchy in numbers and industry. So if we are to get a decent peace deal we MUST capture that colony as fast as possible."

The ground commanders nodded in affirmative.

"If that is all then you're all dismissed get to your assigned positions we're moving immediately."

* * *

Aboard Turian Hierarchy Troop Transport

B-197

"Brother I thought you were in charge of finding that missing research vessel." Saren said as he sat down in his small private quarters.

Thanks to being on Blackwatch, Saren and his team members got their own small private quarters. Barely a 3 by 3 meter box, but their own private box none the less.

Saren invited Desolas to sit on his only chair while Saren sat upon his bed.

"Indeed I was, but this matter is too important. Besides we have no leads to go off of the Research vessel, it's like someone just disappeared with it." Desolas replied conversationally as he got comfortable as much as he could on a cheaply made metal chair.

"Sorry I have nothing to drink but Blackwatch keeps us on a tight leash….. I have a feeling you came for more than a little catch up."

Desolas nodded and activating his omni-tool he sent over an encoded data packet. "My force is hitting the largest city, but the nearby mountains have heat readings coming from them. We know they have been on the planet for a while at least, so its best to assume that they have some form of planetary defence set up."

"I'm going to have your squad reconnoiter the area. You'll be dropping in by atmospheric entry pods, so you'll only have the equipment inside. Hopefully you're just going to find some mining camps. But should you find any major military installations, mark them and call in orbital strike. You should be getting a full briefing by Oraka in an hour."

Saren nodded, and his mandibles formed a tight V, the equivalent for a smile. "I won't let you down brother."

"I never doubted you." Desolas got a ping on his omni-tool. Bringing it up he sighed heavily, "Our scouts should be entering the system now."

* * *

Outer orbit of China 23 (Shaanxi province) solar system

"Exiting FTL in 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. Now!" Commander Orinia sighed as she felt the slight force of FTL release her frame. While many didn't feel the acceleration, for a lifer like her it was easy to detect.

"Ma'am we are detecting 50 plus more craft in system than before. Scanning now."

Bringing up the tactical map on the upraised dias on her frigate's bridge she frowned. "Enhance image. Don't bother scanning they'll just rebuff it."

As she said that she immediately spotted the purpose of most of the new enemy craft, "Looks like 5 escort craft protecting 45 bulk freighters. Damn large ones too." Her XO, Lieutenant Abrudas, remarked.

"Yeah. Look how they are moving away from the main battle group, they're protecting their charges. Sensors, get any abnormal energy readings?"

"Ma'am, with all due respect, it's all weird. All of them have abnormal radiation readings, and have massive energy spikes, but those 5 in the back are not targeting us actively if that's what you're asking." Her sensors officer reported as he rapidly sifted through all the data.

"Well lets hope we surprised them enough, Comms, report to fleet, we aren't dead yet."


	8. Chapter 7: The Domino Tips

**Please note the combat scenes in here were rushed, and I'm sorry to say that. I'm sorry for putting this story on hold adn I'll do my very best to make uit up to you all.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

 **The Domino Tips**

 _Turian border colony Taetrus_

 _Undisclosed location_

 _0556 Lu'an Military time_

"Sir, the first reserve fleet and reserve corp have been deployed past Citadel borders." A Turian marked in red face paint, and wearing a civilian shell reported.

Looking up from his table, Hilus Perenza, an obviously fabricated name, wiped his talons off before replying, "Are we sure?"

"Yes sir. our…. _friends,_ stationed in the ships have confirmed it."

'Friends _, heh, he means sympathisers, agents..._ **Traitors** _.'_ Perenza thought, ' _Traitors to the old Hierarchy.'_

"And have we news of the _tourists_?" Hilus asked, motioning for the other Turian to sit.

Taking the offer the other continued, "Yes. I met them myself….. Permission to speak freely?"

"Granted of course. You're my closest friend after all."

"They make my plates itch, they don't look natural. They look like those pictures of Collectors. And their… camouflage and impersonations are unerringly good. One of them on a bet came up to me masquerading as one of my men I had yet to meet and I didn't realize something was wrong until I realized I had never heard his name before!" Perenza's second commented.

"And rightly so. They are excellent infiltrators. I also hear they're amazing actors too. So is the plan set?" Nhilus kept eye contact with his friend.

"Yes. I distributed those _dominoes_ as ordered. We'll know who's associated with the group by them. I've already tasked teams Zeta and Gamma to begin the harassment, by tomorrow martial law will be declared and the uprising will be in full swing. Are you sure those allies you promised will get here in time?"

"Of course Kihilix. There's nothing to worry, their dedication of an infiltration squad only confirms my hopes. Soon there will be a war declared, and our reinforcements will land on the planet with the beachheads we created. They are the key to our freedom." Perenza gently explained.

"But what if they are no different then the Hierarchy? What if they just want to use us to take Taetrus?" Kihilix got agitated, "All we have is your word and that of the infiltrators."

"I know, but I have not lied so far correct?" Perenza replied calmly.

"N-no you haven't. Its just I've been working towards this goal my entire life, and you say we will have it achieved in weeks if not sooner." Kihilix sighed, "But will it really be so simple?"

"No, it won't be that simple, but we always keep our promises…..." A new figure stepped forward from the darkness, the shape of an asari or Batarian-

 _ **Transmission interrupted…..**_

* * *

 _The Citadel_

 _Private Council Chambers_

 _0600 Lu'an Military time_

"Are you sure this data is accurate?"

"Yes Councilors. The Turian 1st Reserve Fleet has moved through the previously inactive relay 1198-B 300. We are still seeing supply and troop vessels move through now." The STG agent reported through the holographic emitter.

Tevos spoke up now, "Do you have any inclination on to what is occurring right now Agent?"

"No ma'am. However STG reports from the Turian expedition sent through the same relay have alerted us that on the other side of the relay the Turians have set up a mobile refit yard and repair ships identified as having been included in the first patrol group. All of them were heavily damaged, both internally and externally. Estimations are that they encountered something or someone who didn't appreciate their presence"

Ever since the Turian Councilor Lydia had been recalled to Palaven for an emergency, STG reports have been getting more and more disconcerting.

Increased Turian readiness, calling up of reserves, an emergency session of Primacy, drastic upswing of separatist activity, Batarian internal agitation bordering on open revolt, the Quarian Migrant Fleet missing with nary a pilgrim anywhere, entire pirate factions gone, and more and more occurrences the STG were investigating for correlation.

Even the Shadow Broker had gone eerily silent. So no help on that front.

"Get a probe on the next transport ship and see if you can investigate further." Councilor Ge'Fhon of Sur'Kesh ordered as she turned to the Dalatrass Union of the Salarians. "And please keep us apprised of any changes Dalatrasses. We have yet been able to call our Turian colleague and will inform you when we can contact her."

Closing the links one by one Ge'phon turned to Tevos, the Asari councilor. "This is troubling, ever since the loss of contact from the Turian patrol sent to find the origin of the Hyperwave relay this has been happening. And only just hearing of the movement of the QRF is troubling as well. I suggest we send in a joint Spectre team to investigate this." Ge'phon said, holding her hand up and gently biting her second finger in thought.

"This is also on us. If we had just sent in a few of our own ships like the Turians had asked instead of stonewalling them on the issue like usual we would have more information to go off of." Tevos replied thoughtfully, sitting down on a plush red couch.

"Indeed. However most disconcerting is the Migrant Fleet and Batarian slave and Abolitionist revolts. Former is explainable, but latter is becoming quite the mess. Ever since we exiled the Quarians and denied them the Military assistance we have lost many species to the Terminus systems who refuse to trust us. And the Batarian crackdown has resulted in worsening effects. If they ask us for assistance the News organizations will rip us apart like usual no matter what we decide." Ge'Phon extrapolated.

"This is very saddening, I remember 70 years ago we never had these kinds of problems. The occasional Batarian raid, yes, maybe border incidents between the Yahats and Turians, or even the Quarians gearing up to assault a Turian border world to turn it into a base of operations, but never this serious." Tevos replied wistfully for when she was just a diplomatic aide to he Councilor herself, when they could flaunt the press and come out no worse for wear.

"And before the press got lighter restrictions. now I have them edging into STG circles, and even rivaling them in power. Its often I see articles about major events with more information in them then STG reports. I've contemplated hiring them." Tevos chuckled at that, gently sipping some Armali Wine.

"Anyways. Yes I agree, we should send out Spectre teams to investigate the three issues. First we should send a joint team of new Spectres to investigate the Quarian disappearance. Again. We should send some of our best to the Batarian Agitation. Don't inform the Batarians by the way, this isn't to help, just to investigate what is happening. And lets send our best joint operatives to investigate the Turians. They have been getting more and more annoyed at us publically, this could be a political stunt by some small tier politician to rally support." Tevos theorised and suggested.

"Agreed. I'm putting forward Operatives Pincl, Sulos, and Ter." Ge'phon said casually, relaxing in her own seat and steepling her fingers.

"I'll forward Tela Vasir for the Quarian mission, and devote Yullen and Ilisia for the other missions. And I think we can agree calling in that Turian Spectre candidate Arterius would be perfect for the Quarian investigation, and Julii is an excellent choice for the Batarian investigation, he's been key to investigating the Abolitionist scene there." Tevos countered easily, pulling the candidates from the top of her head.

* * *

 _Bridge of the_ _U_ _nconquerable_

 _Orbit of Shanxi_

 _0602 Lu'an Military Time_

Controlled Chaos.

The bridge of one of the greatest ships of the Terran Species Alliance was a scene of controlled chaos.

The Aerospace and Void control team yelled frantically to make room for the nearly 100,000 Peace Corp Volunteers now idling in orbit of Shanxi, before the Turians came in and decided they would be good target practice.

Weapons was warming up their charges, calling weapons crews to their positions and counter battery teams to positions.

Communications were alerting Command of invasion imminent and giving standard updates to everyone on planet, in system, and in the fleet. Their actions much more controlled and calm, and voices singing soothing hymns to the frantic personnel on the other ships.

Grand Admiral Kiffel was talking with his subordinates, bringing up their prepared plan and assuaging any fears the civilian fleets and independent ships had as they started to abandon the system.

Sensors were keeping their mechanical eyes open to space, tracking the dozen ships that had entered system, hands caressing the alert button for when the second wave appeared

The Cyber Warfare teams jumped into their immersion pods, or "hot seats" on the ceiling of the bridge, joining the Pegasi sensor and weapons officers as they closed the lids and felt the needles and wires insert into the ports on their bodies, laughing as they started to join the various AI who called the Battleship home.

Its was chaos. Controlled chaos. And as the song from the Communications officers took root; the shouting and yelling and stomping of sailors and soldiers died down to whispers, the surprise melted away, drowsiness forgotten.

Purple wisps and mist started to spread across the floor of the lower command seating, then started to climb up onto the raised command dial where Kiffel dismissed his captains and commanders and got into the solitary pod at the top of the steps, feeling the familiar warmth of full electronic immersion with his ship.

 **CONTROL INITIATED. ALL OFFICERS REPORT.**

* * *

 _Bridge of the Enterprise_

 _Orbit of Shanxi_

 _0602 Lu'an Military Time_

"You should leave Fluttershy. Before the battle starts." Twilight cautioned to her close friend as she looked on as her experienced crew took control of their situation, doing as ordered by Grand Admiral Kiffel.

"No! Please Twilight we must try to talk to them, this could all be a grand misunderstanding. We could avoid so much blood shed by just talking this over with them!" If Twilight had dedicated more time observing Fluttershy's body language she would have seen how her ear's twitched, or how her eyes just slightly watered, indicating that she wanted to speak more.

But she didn't see that, instead her eyes glued to the armada before her, and she realised something.

Five hundred ships was a lot more than she mentally prepared herself to see. They couldn't hope to take down enough of them to avert a land war. If they even decided it was worth it, they may just bombard the planet into submission.

Millions could die if they dug into the bunkers!

Fluttershy was right, this was a big mistake. Connecting to Kiffel his face was soon brought up on the holographic projector, "Yes Princess?"

"Admiral, wouldn't it be prudent to at least open communications with them at least? Try to avoid the bloodshed if we can?"

Nodding the Admiral agreed, "I agree it would be helpful to try and talk to them first, if only to lay down proper behavior for war with us. I'm not eager to start an intergalactic war."

* * *

 _Chéngjiù zhī zhù High School_

 _Lu'an Academic District_

 _0602 Lu'an Military Time_

Jan kept his eyes closed. He didn't hear the shouts, yells, and alarms going off, he ignored them for the bliss of his pillow. His sweet, white, fluffy, pillow, soft as a cloud.

"jan."

He thought he heard someone's voice calling out from the darkness.

"jan….. Jan… JAN!"

"HAAA! What! I'm up I'm up!"

He awoke to the chaos and klaxons of his bunkhouse. Like all standard bunkhouses, it was subterranean, built into the extensive tunnel system under every colony. The cavernous room occupied all the things a company of soldiers would need in a bunkhouse.

"Don't you hear the alarms student! The battle in space is about to start! Get into your kit and form with your squad!" Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Jan managed to get a blurry look at the platoon's Staff Sergeant.

"Y-yes sir!" With that Jan fell out of bed, trying desperately to get dressed and join his peers who were almost in a state of panic.

Picking himself up Jan reached his foot locker and pulled out his combat clothing and carapace armor.

Pulling on the skin tight bodysuit that was the underlayer for his armor, he got help from his bunk mate slipping on his personally fitted armor. Once his chest piece was strapped on he checked his comrade's and did the same.

' _Oh god please don't let the Turians land!'_ Jan prayed as he felt the familiar electric jolts as his armor interfaced with his nervous system.

* * *

 _Bridge of the_ _Palaven's Wrath_

 _500,000 Kilometers from the Shaanxi system's 2nd to last planet_

 _0603 Lu'an Military Time_

Serius' heart beat quickened as he saw the images being transmitted to the flagship. The forty-five bulk freighters alone could hold hundreds of thousands of soldiers, perhaps even more soldiers than they had brought along in their reactionary force, a full half of the current Turian Strategic Reserve.

And the Alliance had marshalled that much manpower and material in a few days.

"Admiral we are ready to jump forward, all ships are in position from the relay." The communications officer reported from his position.

"Excellent, tell all ships to go to light speed in thirty seconds 300,000 kilometers from the enemy." Saberian commanded holding himself tall and proud on the central command pulpit.

"Admiral, I believe it would be best if we try to talk to the enemy first, we have dozens of their freighter craft at our mercy. For all we know they could be holding civilians or soldiers, and it would be best to avoid an escalation of war by committing unnecessary war crimes." Serius suggested. Also hoping that this entire situation could be diffused peacefully with a dialogue.

"Captain it was you yourself who suggested the hit and run tactics. Which would not give them a chance to speak." Saberian pointed out.

"I did sir, but note how they are positioned, perfectly away from the planet, so as no stray shots could possibly hit it. They already know our language so it stands to reason they would also have taken the advantage of being positioned in front of their planet. And they haven't attacked our scouts yet even though they could have easily annihilated them when they slipped in." Serius pointed out hopefully.

Saberian took a moment to think this over as the countdown reached zero and all the ships in the fleet launched forward, "And what if your wrong Captain? If they truly wanted to talk then they could have sent a ship forward."

"Yes but they don't know how we are going to act. We may fire upon them as soon as they drop out. In fact we MAY just do that if it means paring down their number a bit. So they can't split their forces." Serius replied reasonably.

"For all we know they could be talking to our scouts right now and we could ruin our chance at a bloodless peace." He continued.

"Over a thousand Turian's from your fleet beg to differ on that last point captain." Saberian countered wryly.

"No matter how you spin it we're the aggressors here. We were planning on attacking preemptively anyways with or without their declaration. A white peace won't raise any eyebrows, won't make us look weak, and while it's true we hold a technical 10 to 1 advantage in space, we have no idea what defenses they have, what reserves they have, what weapons they have, and we have no reinforcements for the space battle. We could save uncounted lives just by taking a few minutes to try and talk." Serius said heartfeltly.

Saberian made a show of giving it thought, "Alright you've convinced me, As soon as we enter range we'll look for any open communications for negotiation…"

* * *

 _Bridge of the Enterprise_

 _Orbit of Shanxi_

 _0605 Lu'an Military Time_

Twilight watched as the twenty of the forty-five bulk transports started to rapidly descend into Shanxi's atmosphere. The rest couldn't find any fitting landing zones and were preparing for a Hyperspace jump to escape the fighting.

If it came to blows Twilight knew they had to hold out for at least eight more minutes to give the landing bulk freighters and their passengers time to disembark and get away from the site. If the Turians thought they were legitimate military targets, or just not care then they would be annihilated and tens of thousands of Peace Corp Volunteers would die.

So it was when the Turian fleet entered the scene a few hundred thousand kilometers from their current position she prayed fervently that they would answer her open communication asking for _Parley._

* * *

 _Bridge of the_ _Palaven's Wrath_

 _Shanxi Orbit_

 _0605 Lu'an Military Time_

"Sir's, picking up an open communications channel coming from the Heavy Cruiser. Scanning for Cyber War intrusions now." The Communications officer reported.

"It appears you were right Serius." Saberian said aloud.

"Scan complete; nothing out of the ordinary. Shall I connect to the channel?"

"Open the Channel. Lets see what they have to say."

"Greetings Turian Leaders. My name is Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship and Magic. I wish to defuse this situation peacefully." On the view screen appeared a regal looking lavender quadruped. It looked very similar to the "Princess Celestia" of the declaration video but with a more rounded head and less pronounced muzzle. On her head she had a purple mane of fur with a pink stripe, and her haunches had a large starburst with several smaller ones.

In the peripheral view on the right they could see a Human dressed in all black with a white X over his left breast, and several commendation and campaign ribbons. On the left they saw a butter color quadruped, with wings and a long pony tail braided elegantly, who gave off a strong motherly feel even through the species barrier.

"Do you now? Then what was that declaration of war we received? Are you going against your government's wishes?" Saberian countered, genuinely curious.

"A declaration of open warfare is required for the mobilization of the military and economy to a war footing. We had no idea how serious this entire endeavour could turn out to be. But it will benefit everyone if we can end this with no further violence. I do-" The Purple Princess was interrupted by the man to her left, who got a very asari like look of alarm.

" _They're Firing!"_ The Human yelled in a foreign language as soon as their own sensors officer spoke.

"Admiral! The _Yindrisali_ is firing on the Heavy cruiser! Oh shi- Sir the _Gorast_ and _Gaulus_ are opening fire as well!" Saberian shocked turned to look at the viewscreen which had suddenly cut out as the Heavy Cruiser cut its channels and started to evade.

And then, those who had fired, and more died.

"Sir Receiving data packet from Super Dreadnought, no CW detected-"

"Admiral, the the rogue ships and their wings have been destroyed, it's chaos!"

"Sir fighter wings are moving to engage-"

"Frigate flotillas are evading fire, they are moving now-"

"Sir Dreadnought _Calia's Talon_ is firing withou-"

"Sir, enemy volley has crippled 23-"

"Sir, Victus is requesting orders-"

"SIR! WE need orders!"

* * *

 _Bridge of the Yindrisali_

 _Shanxi Orbit_

 _0605 Lu'an Standard Military Time_

Commander Cainus was a lifelong sailor. Ever since he saw his father in his black naval uniform he had always wanted to be just like him, to be a hero of the Turian species.

As he sat in his command seat, gently rubbing a white rectangular porcelain toy with a single dot on the top half, he knew he would not be remembered as a hero. Not among the Turians and certainly not among the Species Alliance. But in his heart he knew he was fighting for what was right.

The Hierarchy, the Asari, the Salarian, hell the entirety of Citadel space and son to be that of the Alliance needed a huge wakeup call. It was all a trap, the relays, the Citadel, their very technology. The Humans had enlightened him and his crew, shown them what hid in darkspace.

The Great Enemy was hungry and waiting.

He knew the Hierarchy would lose hundreds of thousands, entire sectors would rebel. including his home of Taetrus. But he knew it was necessary. All of it. Every single drop of blood. Every home destroyed. Every family hating.

"Weapons. Target the _Enterprise._ "

"Yes, Jumi. Target locked." His weapons officer, Frankona, replied obediently. Cainus ignored the informal use of his first name, instead nodding to his friend.

Opening a link to the entire ship he spoke somberly, "Cocks and Hens of the Turian Hierarchy. Honorable sailors of this great void. It has been an honor to serve with you all. While our names won't be celebrated, our family's disdain us, we all know, that today this shot will change history. It will avert the cycle that has plagued all life. What killed the Protheans, and innumerable before them will not come for our home, our families, our allies. Today! TODAY IS OUR VICTORY DAY! Even if many don't know it."

"FIRE!"

" _Yindrisali!_ Why are you firing!"

"Cainus what the hell are you doing!"

"Who shot?! Who shot!?"

" _Yindrisali_ report!"

As the calls kept coming in with the unauthorized fire, his compatriots on the _Gorast_ and _Gaulus_ opened fire as well, having received the signal.

He watched emotionless, as several dozen shots started to zoom in to strike the _Enterprise_. "It was an honor." he finished into the intercom as seconds later his ship lowered its shields as the heavy Cruiser returned fire, spearing the center of the cruiser and obliterating it.

He never felt the heat of the blast.

* * *

 _Fighter Group Black, Squadron Phantom, Wing: 5_

 _Orbit of Shanxi, Moving to engage Turian Force_

 _0605 Lu'an Military Time_

"Phantom 5-1 reporting, all birds green, ready to go kick some." Wing Commander Gilda WildinsDaughter reported. Flicking her claw over a toggle to activate her weapons systems.

She was a Griffin, a natural choice for flight commander, having led true winged flight on Equis.

Now she was rapidly climbing the ranks of fighter command during peacetime. Something she was worried would not continue after this battle. Death was ever present in war, and it was every pilot's fear that they would die a slow death in space.

But while she yearned for true glory, and feared death, she also knew she was given a safer job than her compatriots in Fighter Group Red, Yellow, and White. The Interceptors, Fighter-Bombers, and Gunships respectively.

In total the flock numbered nearly 1,475 various craft, the bulk being from the local garrison.

A paltry amount against the 4,000 arrayed against them. Shanxi had to be the most poorly defended System in the entire Alliance. And she had been to some neglectful backwaters like Griffonstone.

Her fighter group were specially designed stealth tactical fighters. Over 300 fighter-bombers all specially made to hit an enemy from behind in the middle of battle.

She was happy, she got the safe job of bombing their exposed rear ships. Those kilometer long beasts would hammer the main battlegroup if they didn't take care of their main guns.

Hopefully this won't come to-

"Shit did you see that?! They're firing on the _enterprise!_ They're firing on the Princess!" one of her subordinates, Wispy Moon, a pegasus, said over the neural link.

"All fighter groups move to engage, Turian forces are hostile, eliminate with prejudice." Admiral Kiffel ordered.

"You heard the man ghosts! We'll drift for three more minutes then engage thrusters and hit those bastards. Revenant, Phantom! I want you to hit the enemy command dreadnought, aim for the underside spine and maneuvering thrusters, make it difficult for them to line up a shot."

"Specter, Ghoul, Moon, handle their supporting ships, wipe them out. remember the sims guys, cycle out after launching your torpedoes, and provide fire support against enemy point defense and fighters. I want this a boom and zoom you hear me?"

As the various wings checked in, Gilda could only sigh in relief she was not in the biggest furball in the history of the Alliance.

* * *

 _Fighter Group Red, Squadron Epsilon, Wing: 2_

 _Shanxi Lagrange point_

 _0608 Lu'an Military Time_

' _Now comes the hard part.'_ thought Manuel Ramirez.

"Okay boys and girls, say thank you to our Cyerdisc buddies for wiping out that opening fighter wave. They'll move in and distract the PD like planned. Engage Boosters now." Manuel's wing leader ordered.

They were hardly ten kilometers from reaching the Turian fleet. Feeling a cold sweat take hold of his body, Manuel engaged his boosters, doubling his speed towards the enemy.

It was mere seconds before they reached weapons range.

"Fire decoy volley." with the order, hundreds of dummy rockets were launched towards the enemy corvettes and frigates. And like good little turkeys fell for the bait, as their point defense lasers began to focus on destroying the dummy missiles, giving the fighters and drones time t close the distance and destroy their point defense cannons with their own lasers and plasma repeaters.

Going dead on towards a frigate, Manuel's targeting computer auto locked onto half a dozen turrets. Taking his time to get an angle in the target rich environment he aligned himself at a 50 degree angle to sweep across the Starboard side.

When he closed to a kilometer distance he opened fire with his pulse lasers.

 _Peedow Pedow Pedow_

When he closed to half a kilometer, he opened up wit his plasma repeater, causing great explosions along its lateral line.

"Whoop whoo- What the fuck their shields blocked my shots!" Manuel reported, noting that his plasma repeater rounds merely exploded 50 meters from the ship's hull.

"Looks like the Turkeys managed to whip up a defense to our plasma weapons." his wing leader reported as it was soon learned that even the Fusion lances had trouble piercing the foe's shields. Lasers still worked perfectly, it was unfortunate however that the momentary surprise resulted in the enemy's counter attack to destroy a fair number of fighters by weight of fire.

As he finished his strafe, he unexpectedly came face to face with an entire squadron of Turian fighters. Taking an opportunistic shot, he managed to tag two of the wing, and zoomed right by them.

Pulling up hard, into an immelmann maneuver, he managed to catch them while they were still making low G turns.

" _Coma Algumas Cadelas_!" Manuel shouted in Portuguese, as he managed to score another kill, and shot off the wing on a fourth.

If this kept up he would be an Ace in no time!

Looking in his rear camera, he saw that the enemy wing was truly scattered, likely shocked by the speed of his turn.

Returning to his mission at hand, he idly noted on his scanners that a good number of frigates and corvettes on this flank had lost all means to fight, and were already entering light speed to disengage from the battle.

Pity that the enemy had more then enough reserves to replace that number a dozen times over.

Lining up another strafing run he was saddened to see that half of his wing were flashing yellow or a constant crimson.

' _This one's for you guys!'_ Returning to the frigate he had struck before, this time on port, he released a truly devastating barrage, this time targeting the kinetic barrier emitters, making a huge hole in their shields allowing him to unload half his missile rack and overheat his plasma repeater.

The cataclysmic explosion was truly glorious as he went in search of his next kill. Only to have a Turian Corvette ram his fighter, obliterating it to scraps of metal meters big. The only solace he took was that the rest of his missile rack would likely go up with his reactor, giving the corvette a bloody nose, literally.

* * *

 _Pilot Immersion pod deck, Cruiser_ _Malignant_

 _Shanxi Orbit_

 _0609 Lu'an Military Time_

Manuel woke up to darkness. All he could hear was the sound of his heart beat and the call to stations. Hooked into his immersion pod, Manuel felt the needles and wires unhook themselves from his body.

With a chime, hsi pod snap-hissed open, "Eh Manuel, they get you too?" A South African man asked, extending an arm.

Seizing upon the limb with his own, Manuel was pulled from the pod, "Yeah, bastards rammed me with a corvette. And I was this close to being a fucking ace!"

 _Bridge of the_ _Palaven's Wrath_

 _500,000 Kilometers from the Shaanxi system's 2nd to last planet_

 _0610 Lu'an Military Time_

"Sir enemy fighter forces are thinning out, estimated 400 fighters dead to our 1,500 dead!" the communication's officer reported.

The battle was going badly, but not as bad as feared, and while there had been unexpected side effects of polarizing their shields to such a degree, namely all the consoles on the ship turning to explodium every time they were hit with the lances.

Already the combined firepower of the fleet had destroyed several enemy frigates, and forced five of the cruisers to retreat or be destroyed. But in return the price was high.

Nearly a hundred cruisers, frigates, and corvettes had been destroyed, critical damaged, or forced to make a tactical withdrawal. And all five of their dreadnoughts had their main cannons knocked out by those stealth fighters which appeared a few minutes ago. Fortunately those had been lightly armored, and a hit meant destruction for them and were currently retreating out of range of their GARDIANs. This hadn't happened since the days of the Krogan Rebellions, and those were in the major battles. If something didn't break, then this grind fest would result in even more losses. And the first to break would admittedly be the Turians in this.

"Victus, keep up that fire. Illisk, Polus encircle them." Saberian commanded furiously.

A tingling sensation came over Serius, looking around rapidly he saw purple mist creep into the bridge, taking hold of any Turian it could get its grasp on. With horror Serius knew what was occurring.

' _No….. no….. No I can't let it happen again!'_ he thought a force of will rivaled by few, and an instinctive push, Serius did something that few have ever done, and only a handful of artefacts were made for. In a wave of psionic energy, he banished the psionic intrusion, wiping away the purple mist and unbeknownst to him, mind fraying his opponents all at once.

Falling unconscious from the strain, Serius knew he had succeeded.

* * *

 _Fighter Group Black, Squadron Phantom, Wing: 5_

 _0611 Lu'an Military Time_

Gilda evaded yet another salvo of point defense laser blasts, just managing to escape it. "Damnit. Where's our support!?" She demanded as she saw yet another light from her wing turn red.

The beginning strafe had been devastating and beyond all practical hopes, crippling all the Dreadnought's main guns and even taking out a few support cruisers in the mix and forcing them to retreat.

But their planned support from the Shanxi system Monitor ships had failed to arrive on time, and now that the element of surprise had worn off, they were getting picked off by the enemy fighter support and PD.

On the bright side she had made ace two times over, as the enemy fighters were no match for her advanced weaponry. Too bad they outnumbered her a hundred to one. However by keeping herself near the rest of her wing she was able to prolong all of their lives. Unfortunately that had all expended their antiship munitions in the last few runs and their onboard plasma repeaters were completely negated by the shields now.

"Fighter Group Balck, this is the _Lu'an._ Sorry for the delay, we've had a major malfunction with our Psi Corps. We're coming in now, mark targets for strike."

"We hear you _Lu'an_ great to hear from you. We have a major bump in plans, the enemy has countered our plasma weaponry, they are at reduced effectiveness. Suggest you focus fire on a single Dreadnought, or split your fire to take out the supports. But you won't get many rounds in." Gilda replied happily.

"We hear you WingCommander 5, what happened to Group Commander Hurricane?" As the captain replied, his group proceeded to focus their fire on the closest dreadnought.

They all saw the shield flash a brilliant blue, bravely holding out against the half dozen lances before it shattered, exploding all of the dreadnought's emitters while the beams burrowed on into the engines, reducing them to scrap and causing a massive secondary explosion that engulfed the entire ship in an antimatter explosion.

"All Monitors, pick and choose secondary targets and pick up our fighters call for retreat has been initiated."

Relieved, Gilda led the remains of her wing into the bays of the _Lu'an_ , of the 200 stealth fighters that had partaken in the raid, hardly half the number remained. "Quick! Quick! Load those fighters up on the upper docking!, we need to make more room!"

Moving her fighter up to the upper docking platform, Gilda prayed that they would escape the grind alive to fight another day.

* * *

 _Bridge of the_ _Palaven's Wrath_

 _0613 Lu'an Military Time_

"They're retreating!" Cheers of joy uproared across the entire fleet, even on the comms, as they saw the now depleted Terran Alliance fleet begin to make a definitive fighting withdrawal from orbit.

"Sir! The heavy Cruiser isn't moving! Their engines are not responding it seems." Saberian nodded.

But this victory was hardly overwhelming. Looking to where Serius collapsed after banishing, the purple mist, he knew that if it wasn't for his efforts this could have ended much more bloody for his side.

Still, the victory was pyrrhic at best. For the enemies 15 destroyed or scuttled ships, the number times ten of his own were destroyed, with another hundred needing severe repairs that would not go unnoticed, almost 64% of his fighter craft had been annihilated for the enemies 700 destroyed or disabled. And almost all of the remaining ships needing minor to moderate repairs to everything, including their electrical systems.

It was fortunate that the enemy CWS had been tied up by their sheer numerical advantage, but the amount of cyber warfare that was thrown at them should have destroyed the enemies alone, but as he watched them retreat in an orderly fashion, out of range of even his forward frigate flotillas.

"Prepare boarding ships for that Heavy Cruiser and open a channel to it, and begin collection of escape pods on both sides." As he spoke he saw that the Heavy Cruiser began to launch what seemed to be gunships with a plethora of escape pods towards the planet.

" _Ah admiral Saberian is it? What do you want? Our surrender?"_ It was an audio only transmission, but from the sound it was not the Princess from before.

"Yes, as I'm sure you know you're dead in space, your engines our disabled, and from appearances so are your weapons. If you surrender I can promise that you and your crew will be unharmed. But I would rather discuss this with the Princess." Saberian spoke reasonably, while what he said was true, if the enemy wanted to they could make capturing the ship a massive pain, and if they preferred death over surrender even buy enough time to self destruct.

" _I'm happy to report that the Princess and her guests are already on route towards the planet. And that you will have to pry this ship from our cold dead hands. Good luck, I look forward to it._ " Cutting the transmission Saberian sighed heavily.

"Colonel Inacius, you have a go to begin boarding and calling in the ground forces."

* * *

 _Kar'Shan_

 _Undisclosed location_

"This is really good tea you brought today A'mon. I'm really impressed. So how as your negotiations with the Alliance?" Crabnadah, prince to the Throne of the hegemony, complimented.

"Swimmingly, we have the deal already printed out and hammered down. Soon your highness they will sweep across Turian and Hegemony territory, and as our cause rises up to bring about the end of the practice we shall join the most powerful coalition of species to have ever existed in our cycle." Sipping his jasmine tea he set it down and leaned back in his chair.

Looking over to his personal "slave", and asari, not even a century old, came forward with a platter of sweetmeats. "Ah thank you Karina. Would you like one as well?"

"Yes. thank you my 'lord'." Karina replied, gently taking one from the edge of the platter.

Jath A'mon had bought her a decade ago, at the annual slave markets. Mostly to keep up appearances, but also out of pity. He couldn't let one of those other monster take such a young Asari and destroy her very being. So he saved her by buying her. It became quiet het uproar at the Citadel but he grinned and bear it as the humans would say.

It was truly disgusting that the entire citadel would forget the thing in merely a few months, hypocrites who did nothing to stop the Hegemony's Barbaric practice and treatment of slaves.

Karina was one of billions, people who had their family killed or destroyed, separated by slavers the galaxy over. He could never hope to find her family, her true family. So he had kept her, and raised her to be a proud Batarian citizen, and soon to be a proud voter for the Batarian Republic.

"Oh and as a show of good faith and proof they will act. They sent a team of soldiers and a representative to us. The soldiers are already arming our forces, and the representative should be here any minute-"

Karina, pressed the subdermal radio implant closer to her ear, "Actually my lord, she is already here. Shall she land on the terrace?"

"Of course of course! Let us go meet her right A'mon?" Cradnadah said jovially as he rose from his seat along with A'mon.

Walking to the grand double doors to the terrace landing platform they looked over an opulent estate, which as they both knew would soon become the presidential palace.

Looking up a elegantly designed Asari diplomatic shuttle landed gracefully. The boarding ramp lowered and from it walked a pair of honor guards dressed in onyx colored armor, with a crescent moon insignia with a star on a point.

Following them night purple Alicorn, with royal regalia. Karina was in awe at the beautiful Alicorn, who's wings were spread magnificently.

Crabnadah stepped forward and bowed politely, "I welcome you Princess Luna."


	9. Bonus material

Hey Guys, here is stuff i wrote that i needed to remove to make the story more streamlined. I hope you enjoy it. Don't forget to read chapter 6 and 7 as well! :)

Chapter 5

 _Kami Square, Spiritual district_

Being as old and as experienced as he was, Father Grigori oversaw the remedial training given to the Militias. Many after their service gained careers far from war, and in that time their ingrained reflexes and training had laxed.

Not that he could blame them, he only kept in shape through his constant meditational training and occasional stinks in the combat simulation room. Many here did not have the luxury of time in their lives to devote themselves to such.

So here he was standing on Kami Square, looking down at nervous human faces. Sectoids could disperse combat training near instantly through their telepathy. Sabilians kept their senses constantly sharp through the Grand Masquerade. Mutons were Mutons, they never stopped fighting and training.

So that left the Humans and Equestrians to train up. Among the crowd of tens of thousands he saw thousands of Equestrians as well, given newly issued Sumpter Powered Armor with weapon armatures. They looked like old medieval Knights, covered in so much armor.

Around his neck he wore his translation charm, and it glowed softly as he spoke, "Good morning everyone. My name as many of you are aware is Chaplain Yuri Grigori, X-Com MEC veteran. I'm to give you all remedial training and updated tactics and weaponry. Pay attention, I will only go over this once!..."

 _Asteroid mining station Huang Chen, Shanxi System_

"... So I swooped down," Jumping onto his chair Jeremy Shen stuck his arms out like an aeroplanes wings, angling his body down as if he were to strafe the lunch table, mug of coffee in one out stretched hand and ration cake in the other.

"Enemy planes surrounding me, bombs need 15 more seconds to come back! I'm doomed and I know it…."

"ZZ _sshwoonng!_ So angling down, I spiral to my target the final tank with my A20-G. You should have seen the comments section!" Everyone laughed heartily at the retelling of the story. While most of the Alliance was preparing for war it was business as usual for Jeremy and his friends.

The station was large, housing hundreds of Human and Sectoid workers. From here they collected and refined heavy minerals like Eezo and Zrbite materials, making a tidy profit working in space.

Of course Shen's story was merely a minor distraction to the unease everyone felt. They were still small in the grand scale, and while SolMine offered them evacuation they had declined. Instead they wished to keep working and to supply the Alliance with fuel and materials.

So they stayed, called family, updated their wills, ordered a shipment of weapons and armor (with a squadron of fighters to protect them), and continued to work.

Settling back in his chair Jeremy Shen's laughing eased down, taking another bite of his bar and a sip of lukewarm Coffee.

Being the great great grandson of the famous engineer Dr. Shen made him a VIP in the Alliance. In truth he hated being a celebrity, he hadn't done anything, he had only met the man once when he was five. He remembered a kind smile and a soft gravelly voice. All that he knew of his great great grandfather personally.

But here he was accepted as just another Human, and to pull, sometimes literally, his own weight around here. Free from the cameras, and good pay too for a worker like himself.

" _Beep beep!_ Attention, attention. First shift lunch is over. So back to work you little bastards. The lazy Navy won't process its own eezo!" Everyone gave a good laugh at Gardner as he called for shift change.

"Well back to work everyone." Their shift sergeant announced as everyone left to the processing plant. The Alliance was counting on men like them after all, to fuel the fleet for war.

 _Lu'an Alliance Capital Building, Shanxi_

"I'm here today at the fringe of Alliance space, on the planet Shanxi outside of the Lu'an Alliance Capital Building. The timer for invasion is counting down with only 30 hours left for preparations of war." Philipe Augustin, reporter for the Alliance News Network.

The courtyard before the capitol building was a well decorated garden, styled off of Japanese kaiyū-shiki-teien style, a promenade garden meant to calm, inspire, and be beautiful. Cherry trees decorate small hills set between a rippling stream. The orange sun was setting over the tops of the buildings of Lu'an at mid afternoon and it made the view amazing for its viewers.

"War and peace are on everyone's mind here on Shanxi as many hope that the Turians won't even be able to land on the planet. But despite the hope everyone is preparing for the worst." the handsome reporter pointed to a group of people setting up a stack of Auto turrets.

"As you can see the good citizens over there are assembling auto control turrets around the capitol building. We'll go see what they have in mind after the break. When we come back to, _BattleSpace_."

Chapter 6

 _Rally Point Alpha Practice "Grounds"_

 _Sol System Near the Charon Relay_

" _From the depths of Hell in silence_

 _Cast our spells, explosive violence_

 _Night time flight perfected_

 _Flawless targeting, undetected_

" _From the depths of Hell in silence_

 _Cast our spells, explosive violence_

 _Night time flight perfected_

 _Flawless targeting, undetected_

" _Pushing on and on, our planes are going strong_

 _X-Com's number one!_

 _Somewhere down below we're looking for the foe_

 _Fighters' on a run!_

 _You can't hide, you can't move, just abide_

 _Our attack's been approved_

 _Raiders in the dark_

 _Silent through the night! We witches join the fight!_

 _Never miss our mark_

 _Metal wings of death_

 _Prepare to meet your fate!_

 _Night fighter regiment_

 _101!"_

Celestia listened, and viewed with interest, along with many of the gathered Alliance fleet, as an impromptu dog fighting tournament was being conducted in the Pluto gravitational field. Between the Charon relay, and the tiny planetoid itself.

Pluto, after the relay had been found, had been converted into a major security station. At any one time the Alliance first fleet would be guarding the relay and the tangle of detection beacons surrounding the solar system. Now nearly 2500 ships were gathered around the small plutoid, preparing to move out.

The song currently playing was the regimental anthem for the 101st Combat Fighter/Bomber Regiment. They were currently the reigning champions in the tournament as she watched the dog fight unfold on the cameras, EMP cannons blasting at each other as the fighter regiments did their mock battle.

The song playing was a tribute, from a twenty first century Human band known as Sabaton. Made for the Russian 588th Night Bomber Regiment, known as the Night Witches. When the 101 was formed in the mid 2050's by the famous X-Com fighter ace, Aleksi "Night Witch" Toivonen, she chose the regiment's anthem from the song she became known for.

It was playing on the radio chat because the Night Witches Cyber Warfare pilot had wrested control of the battle com.

Watching the battle she moved her camera to Flight Commander Eternal Storm's fighter, of the 21st Equestrian Cloud Bringers. She allowed the magic interface to connect her mind to the craft.

Through the cameras on the hull, she "felt" the inertia as the fighter twirled in the vacuum of space, following after the Witch fighter. It pirouetted elegantly, EMP cannon whirred and fired, sending a shock of invisible energy into the emptiness of space.

It began to fire on full auto, if the vibrations on the screen indicated anything. She viewed the ambush unfold, starting with the pilot Witch doing a tight 180 degree turn. An impossible maneuver if it weren't for the fact that there was no pilot. A clean turn later and as the Cloud Bringer turned to meet it, the sting was shot.

From "underneath", another Witch shot past, having fired its EMP cannons and scored critical hits upon the 21st-er, leaving the Equestrian Pegasi dead in space, with a flag beacon being activated.

This was a simple bait and kill maneuver done by a superior numbering force. As she watched, she noted that nearly a full ¾ of the 21st were eliminated, while the Witches had only suffered a ⅕ in losses.

They were the best Fighter regiment in the Alliance Navy, and were permanently stationed on the _United_ , The X-Com Heavy Battleship.

Bringing up the technical specs of the Turian Air and Space Superiority fighters type 65. Compared to Alliance Navy specs', that thing was barely more than a civilian personal craft. Mass effect cannons and disruptor torpedoes.

Looking out at the viewscreen as she saw the last few of the Equestrian fighters pull away in retreat, she began to pity the Turians.

The Night Witches were coming, and so were 65,000 more angry fighter pilots.

 _X-Com Beta Site, The Neighapollan mountain range_

 _150 kilometers west from Lu'an city outskirts_

Beta site, deep under and within the Neighapollan mountain range, close yet far from the capital city of Lu'an. Under the highest peaks, work was being completed on prototype forms of artillery.

Each planet's X-Com bases focused solely on one project to better enhance the Terran Alliance. At the X-Com Beta site on Shanxi, they researched the humble Blaster Launcher, and all its forms of dealing guided, football sized death.

And Chief Science Officer Solar Flare, the proud pegasus he was, would not skip this opportunity to test fire his project's latest Blaster Launchers on live targets!

Trotting past the variety of weapons and equipment labs, he was humming the catchy tune he made up for when they would fire the wonderful Blaster Launchers. If one could not tell, he had a hardon for the Blaster Launcher; his Vahlenite grey coat, the cobalt eyes, the trimmed Elerium green mane, and the flaming Blaster Launcher projectile on his flanks.

In the Beta site, they had tested hundreds of different theories on how to implement, enhance, and upgrade the Blaster Launcher. Everything was being tested; Bullseye rifles, firing mini BL projectiles. BL grenades of all forms and types. Experimental anti-everything launchers with special ammunition cores. Pneumatic launching methods. And even the highly awaited Photon torpedoes were being developed within these very walls!

His new pet project was a souped up aerial defense system that used a combination of laser targeting, and autonomous BL drones to find targets or orbital projectiles, and destroy or disable them before they could accomplish their mission.

He was practically squeeing like a filly, he was so excited for the testing to come. He hoped this project would surpass the traditional way of resisting orbital bombardment, which was typically by forming large psion shields or kinetic barriers, but the energy released could still devastate the surrounding countryside or even punch through and kill everyone anyways.

Instead with these BL defences they would combine several pieces of Ethereal tech to determine when they were firing, then launch a flurry of BLs to destroy the projectile in orbit before it could release its deadly energy in atmosphere and cause one hell of an inconvenience for the Pegasi weather teams.

Trotting to his destination he skidded to a halt as he booped snout to snout with Kazak, the large Caucasian Shepherd that guarded Katyusha Karimov's lab. Looking right into those deep, intelligent brown eyes of the mid aged beast of a dog.

The shepherd before him was larger than an adult Human, and easily dwarfed the pony with its huge mass. Its coat was a pleasing pattern of camouflage looking similar to that of a German Shepherd. His mass easily outmatched his owner, let alone Solar. And his eyes, not the dull eyes of a regular animal, but held the deep spark of intelligence and soul within.

Locking eyes the Shepherd made a low growl. Solar, not the most physically large of his tribe was made a bit meek by this but he stood his ground. He wasn't going to be a foal and just flap into the air.

"Can I get by please Kazak?" He pleaded gently. Kazak was Karimov "pet" project. Poong Ha University, which specialized in the study of increasing intelligence in all life, was where the good scientist came from, and she had been assigned to help boost the intelligence in dogs.

Earth's canines had been noted to be highly intelligent and growing even more so the longer they had been domesticated. The Humans, impatient as they were, had decided to boost the process so that they could make dogs truly sentient.

In reply Kazak emitted a clipped bark that vaguely sounded as an affirmative, followed by a growling anticipation. Getting the meaning Solar pulled out a dog treat from his special stash for just such a situation.

Offering it to Kazak, the dog picked up the treat gingerly, then moved to the side to allow the Pegasi scientist to pass.

Regaining his composure, and resuming his hymn, he floated into the lab with a flap of his wings.

The good Doctor Katyusha Karimov's lab was a clean, ordinary affair, in fact if it weren't for the pile of notes on the desk, and the doctor herself, Solar would have thought the room unused.

The room was like any other of X-Com's underground fair, dull grey, but decorated with the occasional momentous picture, or banner. The chamber was fairly spacious, enough lab space for several scientists to work at once without getting in each other's way.

Scattered around were four large chemically sealed tables, filled with various compact computers, unused chemistry equipment, and upturned coffee mugs. Karimov was simply working at a single computer at the entry desk, nursing a strong smelling coffee.

"Ah Solar, good to see you. I was just about to report my findings about enemy shielding technology. I've also solved your tracking software malfunction. Someone was lazy and made a quite possibly dangerous typo, _cyka._ "

Solar smiled in glee at his fellow scientist. While she did focus on genetic and MELD research (to the chagrin of her family), her other field of study was Element Zero type shielding, and she was a gifted coder.

True the Alliance could make their own form of shielding, that which was implemented by the Ethereals originally, but they had the unfortunate side effect of blocking out everything, light included. They got around this by mind melding and having the lead ships be the pathfinders, crewed by very expendable Sectoid crewmen.

While one could technically adapt this system suitable for combat, it put an extra strain on the reactors, and required a very sophisticated point defense system to detect the incoming fire. That's besides the fact they had armor that could just absorb laser and plasma damage much more cheaply and efficiently anyways, and had ME kinetic barriers for everything else.

And the only people who had effective ship to ship, military grade weapons being the military, it just didn't make sense to invest in those ideas currently. Not when BLASTER LAUNCHERS were facing a breath of fresh air and ideas in implementation.

"Thank you so much Dr., you of all people should know how important this will be for countering enemy defenses. What can you tell me from your report? Before I delve into the nitty gritty?" Solar asked excitedly, pushing forward an Equestrian chair and bringing the aforementioned report up from his email, eyes glittering with the circuitry contacts he was wearing.

"Well for starters let's explain how kinetic barriers work. Or at least how ours work." Solar had a passing familiarity with KB's but it never hurt to hear from his peers what they had to say, often times it could lead to breakthroughs just going through the steps.

"By using the mass effect theorem, we have an active computer detect incoming fire about a meter from the wearer's body, or about 50 meters from the ship's hull. The emitters have overlapping fields, the larger the ship the more emitters necessary of course. The important part is that the ship also extends a much farther out and weaker field that works like a radar gun, detecting if the incoming projectile is say a ball moving slowly, or a lethal piece of shrapnel or micrometeorite.

"Its one of the reasons Drill instructors say not to hug cover closely or engage within knife fighting range, if the enemy's weapon were to pierce the cover, the computer would have no time to detect and activate the deflection emitters." Solar nodded in understanding, getting it. "The difference being however, is that we have tweaked our KBs to _deflect_ the shots, rather than theirs which absorb the rounds. _Blin idioty_ have no idea on how to maximize their own shielding tech."

"So," He connected, "We have to have the BL moving fast enough to be an effective weapon, but slow enough to not trigger the barrier."

Karimov nodded, "Indeed, which makes it vulnerable to point defense. But the most important part is the opposing bridge crew may learn that we are using them and drastically lower the minimum speed to deflect the BL, exploding the BL projectile on their shields like a normal round, or simply outpacing the round. While also taxing their emitters even more as space dust, and the general rubbish out there impact against the shielding.

"The good thing is, most of our BL launchers that are not on fighters are acting as planetary defense weapons, or infantry level launchers. For planetary invasion you have to drop your Kinetic barriers when entering atmo, or risk burning them out permanently as you land. Since landing craft can't move slow or risk obliteration from triple A, they have no KBs on them. Hence forth, sitting ducks for your beloved blaster launchers."

Solar smiled happily, "So how many shots could, say, a cruiser classed Turian ship take?" He inquired delightedly.

"At a guess? With your current yields you'll be lucky to even pierce their shields alone. Better to snipe the emitters with laser cannons then fire the BLs."

Solar looked a bit saddened at the news but he had been expecting that. The KBs used by the Alliance alone could counteract hundreds of megatons of force, Blaster launchers relied on their much smaller yields to cause surgical damage. While it wasn't unknown for X-Com to make a Fusion Ball launcher, or strap a BL guidance package on a nuclear artillery shell, it was both hilariously expensive to make for the former, and utterly overkill for what it was to do for the latter.

"Well I thank you Dr. for the help with this project. You assistance has been invaluable for preventing possible disaster." Solar magnanimously thanked his colleague, regaining his exuberance.

"Admittedly it did bring back some fond memories of grad school, coming to another X-Com science bunker. But the venue is starting to wear thin on me. I will be returning to the Peace Corp hospital in Manchu." Karimov said drearily.

' _At least they have holographic windows there._ ' She mentally added.

Chapter 7

Fighter Group Tenpari  
Shanxi Lagrange point  
0606 Lu'an Military Time

'I swear to the spirits that live in space, whoever fired off those rounds are going to have me strangling them to death!' Lieutenant Uriah Polonia thought feverishly as he evaded yet another volley of opportunistic laser fire.

Ever since the two swarms of fighters met it went to hell. The enemy had overwhelming superiority in every single way, except possibly experience. Which was the reason he was still alive.

He had been leading his wing of Interceptors, heading straight onto the enemy when as soon as they entered the light second range laser fire begant pop off in their direction. The surprise at such a thing was such that nearly 78% of the first wave were dead in the single volley.

Only by luck and virtue did Uriah survive, and now he was engaged in the dogfight of his life.

His wing was dead, his flight commander was dead, and he had yet score a single kill on the enemy despite ample fire poured into them.

His sixth sense kicked in again and he pulled an immelman to avoid another flurry of laser fire aligned on him.

"All fighters pull back! I repeat pull back! Stay near range of our GARDIAN point defense!" his radio exploded out.

"Easier said than done dumbass!" he replied to no one as he gunned his engines and afterburners to get as much space towards his allies. Watching as ever more red lights appeared on his hud.

It was then he was hit with an epiphany. He was the last one alive of the first wave.

Fighting down his rising panic he pulled a variety of aerial stunts that would get him reprimanded by his instructors. His moves managing to only result in him getting glancing hits instead of dead on strikes.

He was focused on one goal. Getting out of this Furball alive.


	10. Halloween on the Citadel

**Authors Notes**

So this chapter has been over a year in making, and was inspired by the This is Halloween Animatic for MLP. Don't worry it has a minimum of pony in it, and it has many ideas i didn't get the chance to include in my original story. Which I will describe at the end of the story.

Talking about my original story, yes its in the works, I have two chapters down, working on the third which focuses on the Original Ethereal War, from start to end. And it will have a completely revamped and original story, no recycling of the original Mass Effects Games stories hopefully. Not even a combat Shepard.

Other things I wish to say: I'm in ROTC, Or Reserve Officer Training Corp, it has been a blast, and while difficult and stressful, I have learned a lot about military decorum which will see a revamp and more real look in the story. College is kicking my ass, but I'm getting my shit together and I've learned much about writing in my 121 English. This is my first attempt at a Multi modal work.

I'm currently the Beta reader and writer for two peoples work, my close Friend L4 Of the West, who writes Terran Federation: Contact has even made me his co writer, if you like my writing, go check it out since a lot of his work is also my work intertwined. I also help Phuripat by betaing his Space in Conflict: Human Assault, his beginning stuff still needs me to work on it but his latest chapters have seen a vast improvement.

I'd also like to thank my Beta reader; Count Lurkula, keep up the good work. He has helped me realize I need to reset, I need to limit my word count, and make a definitive plan.

Special mentions go to everyone who has written, or currently writes Fanfiction here, Magkiln, GreaterGoodIreland, BeastRider9, ProfFartBurger, Cap'n Chryssalid, Knight in Blackest Armor, and many more. Many of you are great writers and have wonderful ideas that helped influence me and hopefully I influenced some of you a bit as well.

* * *

 **Halloween on the Citadel**

By Blood Raven 117

[Spectra, by Imposter]

' _Why did I agree to this again?'_ Ashelsha T'Nesti asked herself as she followed the directions given to her by her friend Rainbow Bright.

Replaying the memory in her head she could see the Pegasus now,

" _You should come to the Nightmare Night/Trick or Treat Street celebration we're having in my neighborhood! You always wanted to learn more about the humans! This is your chance! We'll have the Terran-Equis cultural play crew performing! with the Peace Corp providing the funds, and candy, and food! You can't miss it!_

' _Oh yeah, Humans.'_ The Asari thought with a jolt of enthusiasm. She was studying Cultural Anthropology at the Citadel's renowned Batosnia Xenological Studies Academy. Barely 105 years old, she was still considered a child among her species, but soon to be a full maiden past her puberty, destined to explore the galaxy.

Standing before the entrance it was lit up in old neon lights, bent into shapes of elegant Human script with Equestrian symbols and other images unfamiliar to her. The only one that she recognized was an eye, with a narrow slit like that of a reptilian. It was situated above the Human words, and the next was of a faux eye.

All around her giggles and laughs of the many Terran Alliance species came, with many of them wearing costumes, both the children and adults.

Here and there she saw.

To her left, a Human male, guiding his brood of children, all dressed up in cute costumes meant to represent different branches of Human service.

Past them at waist height, a quartet of Ponies trotted past, one dressed up as a shiny red apple. While another was wearing what looked like black armor, with a back frill and longer ears and a trio of apples on his flank. And the last, a pegasus, wore an old Human designed aviation cap, with a medallion of a pair of wings a lightning bolt in the center, a bomber jacket was also present with several sewn on colorful ribbons and an identical medallion acting as the zipper. The last one was the most horrifying, looking more like she crawled out of a buried coffin; green, peeling skin, and completely without fur.

And yet still more colorful costumes;

A Muton child dressed as an X-Com trooper.

A purple and black painted Pony dressed as a Chrysalid.

An Ethereal with an orange vegetable on its head, with a crooked tooth smile and light up head.

A Human with cat ears and tail.

A Human dressed as a Changeling.

A Changeling dressed as a Human.

An Asari named Ashelsha dressed in formal wear and looking around like an idiot.

Frowning at the thought of the last one Ashelsha's mind had jumped to herself, now feeling very improperly dressed in her school dress uniform. Looking around she saw a booth selling costumes, manned by a green and black colored pony, with a skull painted on her head, and a Human dressed snappily in a white red trimmed duster, with a crucifix painted on his head.

After a few minutes of talk and dressing she finally looked the part, dressed as one of her favorite Human anime characters. A touch of Equestrian magic to change her skin complexion for 6 hours, a plastic mold with a wig of orange hair going past her waist, a pair of cute fox ears, a black fan, and a white kimono.

All for 20 credits!

"Whhhhooo!" jumping up in pent up energy, T'Nesti moved into the Ulthuan Convention Center of Tsari Ward Level 53.

It was starkly different in the main foyer of the convention center. Decorations hang as macabre and beautiful. They were varied, and gave off the feeling that this was a harvest celebration as well.

From what she read up on Halloween, it was based on many ancient Human holidays, with influences like the Pagans, Christianity, and folklore. It featured the dead, the skull, and the end of harvest.

Hundreds if not thousands of people were walking about, most of them species of the Terran Alliance, with a few other species involved, some Turians, Asari, Salarians, even a few of the other species. She was starting to believe all of the Terran Alliance citizens on the Citadel were here tonight.

Over the din it could barely be heard the sound of a tune playing, then was cut out by an announcement by a cheery-sounding specter.

"Achtung! Achtung! The Terran-Equis play troupe invites you all to the grand auditorium for the opening ceremonies! We would love to _eat_ you there." it ended with a resounding cacophony of laughter, which sent a chill down her spine. The crowd noticeably started to stream towards the auditorium, with its grand wooden doors wide open.

"Ashelsha! You made it! Nice costume too!"

Looking to the source of the familiar voice she saw Rainbow Bright gliding in and landing. She only knew it was him because of his distinctive wing color, being a riot of rainbow colors.

"What are you for halloween? I didn't know you have a costume!" she could tell behind that mask was a smiling pegasus, looking on with prismatic eyes.

"Why I'm Kitsune Amiriko! Heroine of Kitsune Tales!" beaming with the widest of all smiles she struck a cute pose, the trademark of the the Fox Girl of the referenced show.

Looking at Rainbow she raised an eyebrow, "What are you, Rainbow?" She asked, looking over the peculiar design, reminded her of that last armor worn by the Earth Pony.

"I'm an Enclave soldier! From Fallout Equestria!" striking a pose his scorpion like tail even made the attempt to look like it would lash out. It was certainly impressive; it's sleek black design made to look intimidating to any creature's eyes. If she remembered her military sciences class, which was part of learning about the Terran Alliance, The design he was wearing was not to far off from actual combat armor.

Mirth in his voice, Bright led the way, "Come on! Let's see the opening show for the festival! I hear it's amazing!" rolling her eyes, Ashelsha felt her sleeve tugged on by Rainbow Bright as he led her towards the throng of people heading towards the auditorium, fit to hold a hundred thousand people if all the seats were taken and even more if they stood.

"So what are they doing?" she asked as they slowly filed into the great auditorium.

"Oh it's so cool! You have to see it! They'll have a big psionic ceremony to ward the ghosts away, and to mark the official opening of the event! Also try not to bother the Humans, they're going to be a bit jumpy until the show starts. I learned that my first time here and almost got kicked in the snout by accident. They get really wound up in a place like this." Bright replied happily.

"What? Why?" Ashelsha asked confused, As they got their seats on a raised terrace with an excellent view of the stage.

"The Citadel, it produces a psionic- Oh look, it's starting!

Looking towards the stage, lyrical humming could be heard, and slowly swaying bodies, covered in dark cloaks appeared, from shortest to tallest.

When they finally sang, it was filled with bitter sweetness, the music swelled to an old timed human circus style,

"Mori no ne, oku no oku ni arunda, sono saakasu,

Zachou wa, ookina me ni takai se - juu meetoru

Kyasuto wa minna yukai, katachi wa hen dakeredo,

tottemo tanoshiinda! Kurai Mori no saakasu!"

Many of their eyes began to glow a deep purple, the color of psionics being cast out. And slowly the crowd joined in the swaying, eyes slowly burning with purple light as the song progressed.

Her Omni-tool translated that the song was called Dark Woods Circus. It was hauntingly beautiful, and its lyrical match, talking about horror fitted the mood of the crowd and singers. The song enraptured the audience, both alien and Terran,

"Shinitai yo shinitai yo koko kara dashite kudasai,

'Sore wa muri na koto' to, dareka ga itteita kigasuru."

Their voices faded into the audience, and Ashelsha looking around saw a sight that she would never forget, all the psionically sensitive species had their eyes purple, gently swaying in tune to the singers hymn and humming.

Then the audience began to sing as one, and with the play members, it resounded and penetrated into everything. Slowly as each verse was recited a building amount of energy could be felt, and as the last words were rejoiced, a great wave of energy swept out, and for once in her life on the Citadel, she felt at peace, felt like an invisible weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and a buzzing in her mind silent.

The humming from the singers slowly trailed off. There was silence for a few moments, and then the stage went black as the lights went out. Goosebumps had formed all across Ashelsha's skin; her eyes were glued to the stage.

She was not disappointed.

[This is Halloween, by Danny Elfman]

The music started to swell, the lights came on, the orchestra's cellos and violins started to cry out, A brass instrument tooted out,

"Boys and girls of every age, wouldn't you like to see something strange?"

"Come with us and you will see. This our town of Halloween!" the singers revealed themselves, all dressed in gaudy and varied costumes of various horrification. Their rising inflections forming a sudden jolt in the sleepy beginning.

"This is Halloween, this is Halloween! Pumpkins scream in the dead of night!" Floating orange produce began to float in the sky, mouths and eyes carved into their sides, all in the visage of screaming.

"This is Halloween, everybody make a scene! Trick or treat 'til the neighbors gonna die of fright." from the sides, variously dressed creatures came scuttling out, moving across the stage, while a center trio sang the line.

"It's our town, everybody scream. In this town of Halloween." the chorus came and sang, after the demanded scream.

"I am the one hiding under your bed, teeth ground sharp and eyes glowing red!" A scary sectoid, with a mouth and burning red eyes crawled out from under a bed, shrieking out in a cackle.

"I am the one hiding under your stairs, fingers like snakes and spiders in my hair!" from a stair set inlaid with one of the background buildings, a full form Sabilian, with its snake like body, slithered from its hiding place, cackling madly with glee.

"This is Halloween, this is Halloween, Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!" the chorus rose up and from the catwalks pegasi and griffons floated out, painted as ghosts and spirits, singing solemnly,"In this town we call home! Everyone hail to the pumpkin song!"

"In this town, don't we love it now? Everybody's waiting for the next surprise!" a muton, dressed as a zombie mayor, gloated, holding his arms wide as if to encompass the whole audience.

"'Round that corner man, hiding in the trash can. Something's waiting now to pounce, and how you'll scream!" from the left three equestrian heads popped out, the trash can, now with a spotlight upon it, popped out with a terrifying chrysalid.

"This is Halloween. Red 'n' black, slimy green! Aren't you scared? Well, that's just fine!" three more singers gathered, the muton mayor, the full sabilian, and the sectoid sang out looking right towards the audience.

From the moon dead center of the stage's sky, two winged female humans, dressed as what she remembered as witches, giggled, "Say it once, say it twice. Take a chance and roll the dice. Ride with the moon in the dead of night!" with the final line they leapt off the grinning moon, and flew over the audience, eliciting screams and shrieks from the people.

"Everybody scream, everybody scream!" The whole cast yelled, and in return those with presence of mind screamed in mock terror.

"In our town of Halloween!" the chorus refrained once more.

From the side, a big headed zudjari, painted in white and red face paint, "I am the clown with the tear-away face. Here in a flash and gone without a trace." indeed he tore away his face and revealed what appeared to be blood and gristle, before he disappeared in a flash of smoke.

"I am the 'who' when you call, 'Who's there?'. I am the wind blowing through your hair." A raspy voice sang out, and a ghostly and translucent zebra floated mystically across the open space on the stage, curling around the moon.

And from that moon, popped out what appeared to be Princess Luna herself, "I am the shadow on the moon at night. Filling your dreams to the brim with fright!" she declared proudly, booming out and flying over the heads of the crowd, dark energies circling around her.

"This is Halloween, this is Halloween. Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!" now the entire cast sang out, suppressing any rebellion.

Three sectoids scuttled along, crying out, "Tender lumplings everywhere. Life's no fun without a good scare!"

Two Equestrians, dressed as if they were mere skeletons walked across the stage, backlit by the rest of the actors, "That's our job, but we're not mean. In our town of Halloween."

"In this town, don't we love it now?" the Mayor sang out, grandly gloating once more.

"Everybody's waiting for the next surprise. Skeleton Jack might catch you in the back, and scream like a banshee! Make you jump out of your skin!"

"This is Halloween, everybody scream! Won't ya please make way for a very special guy!?" the entire cast shouted out in joy, reaching out and opening a space behind them as they sang.

From behind them all came a very tall Ethereal, with one of those orange vegetables carved into a giddy face, "Our man Jack is King of the Pumpkin patch! Everyone hail to the Pumpkin King, now!" the entire cast demanded that they hail, and they all bowed down to the king as he stepped to the front of the stage.

"This is Halloween, this is Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!" once more the chorus cried out, and once more T'Nesti developed goosebumps.

"In this town we call home, everyone hail to the pumpkin song!" everyone sang it out, bowing to the "Pumpkin King". And slowly the Pumpkin king spread his four arms out spread eagle, and gently started to twirl up into the sky.

"La la-la la, Halloween! Halloween!" the chant was repeated several times, until finally the pumpkin king left their sight, and the lights suddenly cut out, with ghoulish cackling. And a roar of applause and screams of delight.

Ashelsha looked on awe, and suddenly the applause was deafening. "Thank you everyone for coming tonight for Halloween! We have a trick or treat street set up, and me and the rest of the troupe will be all around scaring you all! Special thanks to to the Peace Corp, and Princess Luna herself for joining us tonight."

The announcer spoke into a hidden microphone as she pulled out a folded paper, "We have traditional games and activities, a dance hall, free food and drink, and many other wonderful activities. If you need assistance, Peace Corp Guardians will be around to ask questions or get help. Remember stay safe and have fun!"

"Ashelsha! Come on! I want to launch some pumpkins!" Rainbow demanded with glee and Ashelsha laughed and chased after him.

What she experienced that day would never leave her…

* * *

 **Authors Notes**

So for one, I never got to the Zudjari in my original story which was saddening but oh well here they are now.

Also I showed a bit of mind melding with the use of singing here, this is connected to the fact that music is a great way to get everyone on the same page, look at cadence marching for instance, with the use of music for hundreds of years we got thousands of men at once to march instep. Why can't we use music to make one massive mind meld?

I know this was short and probably not so fulfilling but fear not the next chapter will come out in its own story son! So keep you eyes open people. :)


	11. REJOICE! For the story shall continue!

Indeed I have updated! XCOM: Impact shall be coming to your computers within the next 4-8 hours!

Chapter two is now out! Read it now!


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